Israel Refuses to Ban Gay Pride Parade

[sugapablo]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/ISRAEL_GAY_PRIDE?SITE=PAPIT&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=home.htm

JERUSALEM (AP) -- Israel's attorney general refused to ban a gay pride parade in Jerusalem despite threats of violence from ultra-Orthodox Jews, instructing police and gay activists to try to work out a compromise, the police commander said Sunday.

A Justice Ministry statement said Attorney General Meni Mazuz ordered police to meet with gay activists "to work out a reasonable alternative proposal" for the march, set for Friday on a route through the middle of the city. The meeting is to take place Monday, gay activists said, and a compromise was likely.

Ultra-Orthodox Jews have rioted in Jerusalem nearly every night over the past week, burning garbage cans, blocking roads and assaulting police officers in an attempt to get the authorities to call off the march, approved months ago by the Supreme Court. Many religious Jews, Muslims and Christians see homosexuality as a sin and the march as an affront to the sanctity of the holy city.

Police said Sunday that the danger of violence was too great to allow the march to proceed, but left the final decision to Mazuz.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. Israel better watch out. Any more of this and they will

lose the fundie support here in the states.
How DARE israel deal honestly and ethically with gays? Have they no shame?
Watch for Kath Harris and Pat Robertson come out with statements talking about correcting their alignment.

[VegasWolf]

12. Guess Pastor Teddy will be visiting Israel during the festival for the laying

on of hands.

[xultar]

2. GREAT! This is pretty cool.

[cali]

3. Glad to hear

that the AG refused to be bullied by the disgusting behavior of the ultra orthodox.

[JerseygirlCT]

4. Let me get this straight (sorry, no pun intended)

The ultra-orthodox riot, vandalizing property, setting fires, causing all sorts of mayhem.

And the problem is some gay folk marching peacefully?

[Ian David]

5. Priorities, you know...

See:

Queer allies
The little-noticed alliance between gay marriage opponents and alleged terrorist sympathizers
By Evan Gahr
http://www.jewishworldreview.com/1203/marriage_terrorists.php3

[MrPrax]

6. LOL...

Oh yeah... the ISNA is the virtual linchpin of the 'gay marriage' movement in America!!

In reading the piece, I couldn't figure out if either the writer or the magazine was editorially in favour of gay marriage...the only thing you get, is a bunch of quotes by the Reich Wing (come on down freedom-lubber Paul Weyrich, a true friend of liberal causes), whose hate of 'gay marriage' is surpassed by his hate of 'muslims'.

Anyway, yeah the morale of the story is that religious fanatics tend to think alike, even the Jewish ones...stunning revelation.

One of the dumbest bits of agit-prop I've read for awhile...it's funny.

[PsychoDad]

7. good for them.

not to bow to the pressure of the ultra right and threats of violence.

Peace.

[TechBear_Seattle]

8. I thought Judaism was a religion of peace?

Sorry, couldn't resist commenting on the irony.

[heliarc]

9. Some of the Orthodoxy

Aren't better than the taliban... There are some on the margins like the Kahanists of the Kach party -- followers of Rabbi Meir Kahane -- who should be described as terrorists by our current administration's definition. Members Schlomo Dvir and Yarden Morag planned to detonate a bomb near the bus stop at a Palestinian Girls School, but luckily were stopped when Israeli Police stumbled onto the plot. Might I suggest the following Frontline for viewing on this topic http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/israel/view/#rest


It's good news to see that there is still sense enough in the government in Israel to protect whatever meager amount of secularism still remains at the top. It's wonderful to hear that the march may go on after all.

[torrentprime]

10. More, please!

We need more victories like this, where the government or authorities refuse to bow to "public safety" concerns and allow freedom of expression to be the rule.
The same tactics were used against civil rights marches in the 60s: claims of public safety threats, etc., which were all simply designed by one group to keep another group "in its place."
Here's hoping for a good election day.

[Vidar]

11. Good for Israel. Down with the fundies (ultra orthodox).

[LeftCoast]

13. Good! I just hope that people protect themselves for the march

Many of them will be putting their lives on the line just to march for equal rights.

[maddezmom]

14. locking

discussion here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=124x153351