Israel issued a passport for a baby born in Thailand to an Israeli same-sex couple using a surrogate mother.

Twelve other babies born in Thailand will receive passports this week, Haaretz reported, citing the Hebrew-language news website Walla.

The issuance of the passport comes several days after the families of 65 born or soon-to-be-born babies in Thailand to Israeli parents through surrogacy launched a protest to demand citizenship for the children.

With the shortage of surrogate mothers in Israel, gay couples in recent years have been encouraged to go abroad.

In Thailand, the birth mothers must sign documents relinquishing all rights to the child. Israel will not provide the child with a passport unless the document is presented and Thailand’s foreign ministry gives its approval. — jta