submitted: 27-Jan-98, 29th of Tevet, at 0:38:09 Israel Time

(IINS News Service -Israel-1/27) The non-profit organization working to stop circumcision has taken its case to the High Court of Justice.

The organization maintains in its petition, that in a modern democratic society there is no place for the “barbaric” ceremony, which mauls a child who does not have any say in the matter. One spokesman for the group, a Jewish man who stated he is proud that his son was not circumcised, explained there are no health benefits, and in some cases, such as contracting herpes, there are disadvantages.

In addition, the group maintains a parent may not make a decision on behalf of an infant, to “mutilate the sex organ of a male child.”

The court has not decided on the petition at the time of this report.