The man responsible for Israel’s education system has said same-sex couples should not try to consider their households as families as it conflicts with his religious beliefs.

Education Minister Shai Piron, a rabbi and former head of a religious studies school, made the comments in an interview with news website INN.co.il published yesterday,

saying, ‘I think it’s a Jewish state’s right, maybe even its duty, to say to same-sex couples who decide to live their lives together—that’s not a family.’

Piron said he supported same-sex couples having basic economic rights but he drew the line at them referring to themselves as couples or families.

‘Economic rights, shared mortgages, the right to order and so on, that’s fine,’ Piron said.

Piron is deputy leader of the Yesh Atid (There is a Future) party but his sentiments around LGBTI issues are not shared by his party leader Yair Lapid who attended Tel Aviv’s pride march on 13 June to thank his LGBTI supporters.