A Jewish movement in Israel has voted to allow gays to become rabbis.

The middle-eastern country's Schechter Rabbinical Seminary, which is part of the Conservative Jewish seminary, says it will begin ordaining gays and lesbians in Jerusalem in the fall.

'In the Conservative world, there are rabbis who accept ordination of gay and lesbian students as well as those who do not,' a statement from the movement read.

'The decision is the result of a long process that included broad consultation and a search to find a consensus among differing opinions that will allow continued cooperation.'

Tension had been building between the movement's Israeli and US groups, with the latter having begun accepting gay rabbinical students since 2006 and ordaining its first lesbian rabbi last year.

However, the move has not been welcomed by everyone.

'In my opinion, it’s a grave mistake. It's a violation of the Bible,' Shaar Yeshuv Cohen, the chief rabbi of the northern city of Haifa, told the Associated Press.