Jerusalem Gay Pride defies fundamentalist threats

Israeli Supreme Court rejects bid to ban gay march

Knesset vote to outlaw Gay Pride "bigoted and dangerous"

London – 21 June 2007

"We applaud the decision of the Israeli Supreme Court to reject an
application to ban the Jerusalem Gay Pride parade," said Brett Lock,
spokesperson for the London-based LGBTI human rights group, OutRage!

He was commenting on the court judgement, ahead of today's Gay Pride march.

"This is a big victory, not only for gay rights but also for the right
to protest of all Israelis - gay and straight, Jew and Arab," added Mr
Lock.

"The judges' refusal to succumb to threats of violence by homophobic
Jewish fundamentalists is a gain for all Israelis who cherish freedom
and liberty.

"The fundamentalists had been given official encouragement by the
deplorable vote in the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, which sought
to ban Gay Pride marches.

"This bigoted and dangerous restriction on the right to freedom of
expression was carried on its first reading in early June by 41 votes
to 21. It was backed by a cowardly, bigoted alliance of religious and
right-wing parties, led by Shas and the National Religious Party.

Also backing the Gay Pride ban was the President-elect and former
Labour Prime Minister, Shimon Peres. The left-wing Meretz party was
the only political grouping to robustly oppose the draconian new
legislation.

"Fortunately, the legislation was not ratified in time to halt
Jerusalem Gay Pride. Following the Supreme Court decision, it is now
unlikely to reach the statute books.

"We are troubled that attempts to ban Jerusalem Gay Pride received
such widespread, cross-party support in the Israeli parliament. We
hope the Supreme Court decision will put the brakes on these attempts
to outlaw gay marches.

"The increased right-wing religious influence in Israel's parliament
is extremely bad news for gay rights and for the prospect of peace in
the Middle East and justice for the Palestinian people.

"We condemn the recent anti-gay riots by Orthodox Jews and their
blood-curdling incitements to attack the Gay Pride marchers," said Mr
Lock.

Jerusalem's Gay Pride march went ahead today, Thursday 21 June.

Despite the presence of 7,000 police officers, some Jewish
fundamentalist protesters infiltrated the route. A group of
ultra-religious teenage girls screamed "disgrace, disgrace" at the
5,000 Gay Pride marchers.

At least 19 Judaist fanatics were arrested during the parade,
including one man who poured oil on the march route, and several
people who waded in and assaulted several marchers.

Police also arrested an ultra-Orthodox Jew carrying a home-made bomb.

The Israeli Supreme Court rejected three petitions against the Gay
Pride march. The petitions argued that the march would offend the
sensibilities of religious believers. They were submitted by Trade
Minister Eli Yishai of Shas, Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupoliansky, and
Hebron Jewish activists Baruch Marzel and Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Trade Minister Yishai argued that the homosexual march is a "vulgar
event that offends and violates the sanctity of Jerusalem." He said
that in approving the parade, the police had not given sufficient
weight to the "offence caused to the sensibilities of the hareidi
public."

The Marzel-Ben-Gvir petition submitted that the Gay Pride march "would
lead to public disturbances and riots on an unprecedented scale."

Deputy Supreme Court President Eliezer Rivlin, Justice Ayala Procaccia
and Supreme Court President Dorit Beinisch wrote in their judgement:

"Authorizing the Gay Pride parade allows for the realization of the
right to expression and demonstration … It allows the marchers to
voice their message by virtue of their right for equality and social
recognition. Additionally, the permit affords deserving priority to
the principle of the rule of law, and to the perception that violence
is not to be rewarded nor succumbed to."

In the week before the Gay Pride march took place the Orthodox
Righteous Court of Law (Badatz) placed a curse on the parade's
organizers and participants and on police officers tasked with
protecting the march.

Prominent Orthodox rabbis published a declaration which read: "To all
those involved, sinners in spirit, and whoever helps and protects
them, may they feel a curse on their souls, may it plague them and may
evil pursue them; they will not be acquitted of their transgressions
from heavenly judgment."

In previous years, Jerusalem Gay Pride marchers have been violently
attacked by both Jewish and Muslim religious fundamentalists.

At the 2005 march, an ultra-Orthodox believer stabbed and wounded
three marchers. Last year, fears of violence from fundamentalists led
to the march being moved from the city centre to a sports stadium in a
distant suburb.

Further information:

Brett Lock – OutRage! 0770 843 5917

Peter Tatchell – OutRage! 020 7403 1790

ENDS


--
Peter Tatchell is the Green Party parliamentary candidate for Oxford East
http://www.greenoxford.com and http://www.petertatchell.net


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