Israel is the only democratic country where civil marriage is not an option, as explained in this i24NEWS clip (03:14). All state-recognized marriages must be performed in strict accordance with Jewish law. This presents a problem for couples who do not meet the religious criteria for marriage – e.g. mixed-faith couples, same-sex couples, and more – as well as for secular Jews who prefer not to be married by the Rabbinate. In recent years, even religious couples have begun to opt for independent, albeit religious, ceremonies not recognized by the state in protest of Israel’s rabbinic monopoly on marriage.