Yishai: Gay parade should be banned completely

[Joanne98]

In interview ahead of upcoming elections Shas chairman presents bill aimed at prohibiting gays from marching in Jerusalem, rejects claims that haredim don't serve in IDF and says Israel should have bombed thousands more homes in Gaza

Ronen Medzini Published: 01.21.09, 13:33 / Israel News

Ahead of the upcoming elections, Shas Chairman Eli Yishai said that one of his party's main goals in the next Knesset would be to promote a bill banning the gay pride parade in Jerusalem.

"Even if a person maintains a certain lifestyle, he has no business marching and flaunting it, definitely not in Jerusalem where it hurts the feelings of so many," Yishai told Ynet in an interview Wednesday.

"I have the signatures of over 70 Knesset members from across the political spectrum who oppose the 'filth parade' in Jerusalem.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3659789,00.html

Who is he?

Eliyahu "Eli" Yishai (Hebrew: אליהו "אלי" ישי‎, born 26 December 1962) is an Israeli politician and head of the Shas party. He is married and has seven children.


Political life
Yishai started his political life as a member of the Jerusalem City Council from 1987-1988. He was first elected to the Knesset in the 1996 elections as a member of Shas, the Mizrahi Ultra-orthodox party, and was made Minister of Labour and Social Welfare in Binyamin Netanyahu's government.

He retained his seat in the 1999 elections, and was again appointed Minister of Labor and Social Welfare in Ehud Barak's government. After Ariel Sharon beat Barak in the 2001 Prime Ministerial election, Yishai was appointed as Interior Minister and made a Deputy Prime Minister in Sharon's national unity government.

Yishai took over as party leader when Aryeh Deri was convicted of fraud but Shas were not included in Ariel Sharon's coalition government of the 16th Knesset.

After the 2006 elections Shas were invited to join Ehud Olmert's coaltion and Yishai was made Minister of Industry, Trade, and Labour as well as being a Deputy Prime Minister.

Yishai came under fire in February 2006 when he told reporters that "homosexuality is clearly a disease", and wished gays and lesbians a "speedy recovery".<1>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eli_Yishai

[LeftishBrit]

1. The fundie nuts of all religions are all alike..

and the only thing they hate more than each other is TEH GAYZ!!!111!!

[ProgressiveProfessor]

2. A bit more to this than some realize

Muslim, Jewish, and Orthodox groups in Jerusalem all oppose this. Its about the only thing that could bring them all together. There have been some serious protests over this and permits revoked in the name of public safety, possibly with good cause. That said, someday the parades will happen.

The other thing to note is that he is the head of the Shas party. Since none of the other parties can get a clear majority, they have to bring Shas into some sort of coalition. That gives Shas power well out of proportion to its size. It also means it needs to be taken seriously.

[Howardx]

3. interesting

i had been led to believe israel was a paradise for gays.

[cali]

5. Really?

what nonsense. People have rightfully claimed that life for GLBT folks is far better in Israel than in any other country in the ME. Care to dispute that?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

6. Its much better than any muslim country. Its localized to Jerusalem

and its all faiths, not just Jews. The Jerusalem parade is coming and it will indeed be a sight to see

[ohio2007]

8. they say that gays in muslim countries

are really hung

or is it hanged

[ProgressiveProfessor]

11. more like stoned

[Howardx]

12. so your answer is

to point out that its worse elsewhere. israel absolved again!

[ProgressiveProfessor]

13. Not at all...Israel is most gay friendly country in the middle east

There are frictions in Jerusalem, but even there successes are to be had.

Under the sharia (muslim religious law) gays are to be stoned to death.

[Scurrilous]

4. Hasson to Shas minister: Homophobes are biggest homos

"Minister of Religious Affairs Yitzhak Cohen (Shas) stormed out of a university conference in Tel Aviv after having expressed his opinion against homosexuals. MK Yoel Hasson (Kadima) answered, "Homophobes are the biggest homos."

Cohen left after Hasson refused to recant."

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3659998,00.html

[ProgressiveProfessor]

7. Awesome

[IndianaGreen]

9. Rick Warren wearing a kippah

Can you feel the love? I see no difference between this asshole Eli Yishai, the bigot Rick Warren, the German Pope and his pruning the forest analogy, the Westboro Baptist Church, and those countries that execute gays just on general principle.

[Alamuti Lotus]

10. that's what he really worries about?

Doesn't he have enough Arabs to hate that he has to worry about gays? You'd think he'd have his priorities straight (pun intended). On the other hand, Arabenhass is well-covered by the major parties, perhaps this clown seeks his own niche to carve.. :shrug: