Israeli lawmakers move to outlaw gay pride celebrations

The Knesset gave approval in principal on June 6 to two bills that would bar lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender pride parades throughout Israel. One bill would amend laws governing Jerusalem to permit the city from banning any parade or rally the council believed would disturb public order or offend religious sensitivities. The other would ban all gay marches throughout Israel. Members of the Knesset voted two-to-one to advance the two bills. They now must go to committee and then receive a final vote in the full Knesset, Members of the liberal Meretz party denounced the vote. "The Knesset is irresponsibly legislating laws that violate basic rights," said Knesset member Chaim Oron. "The problem lies not with those who proposed the bills, who don't understand the basic rules of democracy, but with the government and members of the coalition who have joined forces to pass bills that no other democratic country would approve." The issue of holding a gay pride parade in Jerusalem has become a flashpoint for religious conservatives. On June 3, Jerusalem police gave their final approval to gay pride celebrations, planned for June 21, but also have warned that it might not include a parade. The haredi, an ultra-Orthodox sect that staged a week of riots last year against gay pride celebrations in Jerusalem has warned that if a parade is permitted this year it will again take to the streets. Last year's pride march was cancelled following a week of rioting in Jerusalem by the haredi. Thousands of sect members took to the streets for a week, setting fire to garbage cans and injuring more than a dozen people. Instead of holding a march Open House held a pride concert and celebration at Hebrew University where anyone entering the grounds was checked by police. There were no incidents. But the march preceding year was marred by violence. More than a than a dozen protesters were arrested and three people were stabbed. Almost 1,000 protesters lined the parade route. Bottles of urine and bags containing feces were hurled at marchers. Shortly after the parade began Shai Schlissel, a haredi member, rushed into the marchers on Ben Yehuda Street stabbing a man and a woman. Others in the parade attempted to subdue him. The third victim was a marcher who went to the aid of the other two victims. Schlissel is in prison for the attack.