Israeli lawmakers propose bill allowing military families to collect sperm of their dead children to continue bloodline

Madison Hall
Updated ·2 min read
Infant lying against a green blanket.
jeannehatch/Getty Images

  • Israeli lawmakers are considering a bill to allow military families to collect late soldiers' sperm.

  • The bill failed to pass last summer but is expected to be voted on "within a month."

  • Israeli courts have previously allowed families to use late soldiers' sperm to impregnate surrogate mothers.

Israeli lawmakers are considering legislation allowing parents of deceased soldiers to posthumously collect their child's sperm to continue on their bloodline.

The bill, if passed, would allow Israeli soldiers to give their written consent to collect their sperm if they die while serving, The Jerusalem Post reported. Then the fallen soldier's spouse or parents can request their sperm within 72 hours of their death, according to the paper.

A similar bill was introduced last summer by a member of the conservative Likud Party, however, the legislation failed to garner support. However, their is renewed hope among some lawmakers that the bill could be voted on "within a month" as more families fight for access to their deceased children's sperm, The Post reported.

Zvi Hauser, a member of the center-right New Hope party and a backer of the bill, told The Jerusalem Post earlier this week that in the past families have retrieved or attempted to collect their fallen children's sperm, however, this legislation would regulate the process. For instance, he told the paper that currently there is no way for soldiers to consent to the process, meaning the military will need to get the soldier's permission when they're first drafted.

However, if a baby is born through this law, the baby will not be considered an "IDF orphan," which bars the mother or the guardian from receiving any military benefits, The Post reported.

Despite no current law in place on the issue, in 2007 an Israeli court ruled in favor of the parents of a deceased soldier who sued a hospital after doctors refused to collect their late son's collected sperm for artificial insemination.

Also, in 2016, an Israeli family court again ruled in favor of the parents who sought to collect their late son's sperm for a surrogate.

Read the original article on Insider