Israel’s Cabinet has rejected a proposal that physicians performing abortions be prosecuted. The proposal had been made by a special demographic committee studying Israel’s low birth rate.
The members of the Cabinet divided on the issue proposed by the demographic committee. It was pointed out that, while both traditional Jewish law and the laws of the country prohibit abortions, physicians in Israel in fact perform such procedures openly and are prosecuted only in cases of negligence.
A Ministerial Committee was authorized by the Cabinet to decide on preferential treatment for families with many children and for provision of other incentives to increase the birth rate.
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