Centrist Party in Israel Introduces Civil Union Bill JERUSALEM - Israel's centrist Yesh Atid Party introduced civil union legislation on Tuesday that would give same-sex couples access to the rights of marriage and free heterosexual ones from the religious strictures imposed on marriage. Israel has no civil marriages, and some experts estimate that in recent years a quarter of Jewish couples have chosen to either marry abroad or live together without marrying rather than adhere to the chief rabbinate's requirements for, among other things, proving Jewish ancestry. Hiddush, an Israeli group that promotes religious pluralism, recently placed Israel among the 45 nations in the world with "severe restrictions" on marriage; most of the other 44 are governed by Islamic law. Arab citizens of Israel are married through either Christian or Islamic authorities, and encounter problems when they wish to marry outside their faith. Supporters of the rabbinate's control over marriage, divorce and other family matters say it is essential for the unity of the Jewish people. Jewish law prohibits certain unions - for example, descendants of the ancient tribe of priests cannot marry divorced women - so allowing civil marriage could create problems for religious marriage in future generations. American Jewish leaders have strongly urged the adoption of a civil marriage law, fearing that many of their constituents would otherwise be unable to marry in Israel because their family histories do not fulfill the rabbinate's requirements. The 15-page bill introduced in the Knesset on Tuesday was careful not to use the word "marriage," but would confer on couples in civil unions the same rights and benefits as ones who marry in religious ceremonies. Those eligible for such unions are defined as "two human beings" without regard to gender. It provides a way to dissolve the union, in a parallel to divorce. "We have no argument or clash with the religious establishment, but we do need to provide a civic solution for every person, Jew or non-Jew, gay or straight," Yair Lapid, Israel's finance minister and chairman of Yesh Atid, said in a statement. One of the fundamental human rights is the right to love in any way that one sees fit. Legislation passed in 2010 provided a similar civil union arrangement, but only for couples who do not adhere to any religion, and it is rarely used. A separate bill passed this week loosened one rule that had required Jewish couples to be married by the Orthodox rabbis of the communities in which they live, but it still restricts which rabbis are sanctioned to perform ceremonies. The new law faces an uphill battle. It is opposed by the Jewish Home Party, which like Yesh Atid - Hebrew for "There Is a Future" - is a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's governing coalition. Mr. Netanyahu has not taken a public position on the issue.