To circumvent the Israeli law that prohibits polygamy, Odeh, 57, from the village of Lakiya, north of Beersheba in the northern Negev, got himself a second wife through the so-called cohabitation marriage. The marriage-like relationship is concluded under a document ratified by a lawyer without registering a marriage contract in the Sharia courts.

Odeh, a member of the Bedouin tribe who refused to reveal his full name for fear of legal repercussions, told Al-Monitor, “I opted for this type of unofficial marriage to keep my first wife from losing Israeli National Insurance benefits. I wanted a second spouse to expand my family. Our tribe values big families and polygamy, even if in some cases having a second wife without the consent of the first one would cause various family problems that may culminate in divorce.” 

His first wife opposed his new relationship at first, but eventually accepted it to avoid getting a divorce. And should the second spouse report the new marriage to judicial authorities, the husband could face arrest for polygamy, and she would struggle to support her children and provide for their needs alone.

Israel’s National Insurance Institute (NII), which manages state welfare benefits, does not recognize polygamous families.