Israel's 'gay'-friendly image

[King_David]

Chad Groening - OneNewsNow - 1/9/2012

A pro-family activist who works to expose the truth about homosexuality says it's outrageous that the Israeli government is going out of its way to recruit "gays" and lesbians as unofficial envoys.


In what it calls a bid to boost its international image, Israel's Ministry of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs has established a cadre of diverse volunteers to speak about Israel around the world. And on its website, the ministry is encouraging members of the homosexual community to step forward. (See related article)

One spokesman says the goal is to highlight Israel's diversity. When people think about Israel, he notes that the homosexual community is often overlooked. So Israel has recently been promoting itself as a homosexual-friendly oasis in an intolerant Middle East.


http://www.onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=1509716

[bluestateguy]

1. Israel is well ahead of this country on LGBT rights

And well ahead of all the Muslim nations that surround it.

Something the Israel bashers on the left should take note of.

[azurnoir]

3. ah but us so called "Israel Bashers" on that oh so nasty Left do know all about Israel's

Gay Rights the problem is for ah how can I put this-others who are not on the "Left" is that we do not think that they somehow compensate for or excuse Israel's occupation and 'settlement' (colonization) of the West Bank, so now let me ask do you feel that Israel's Gay Rights somehow compensate for those things?

[King_David]

4. Strawman nt

[shira]

5. Turn the question around on yourself...

Does "victim status" for the PLO and Hamas compensate or excuse their psychotic, ultra extreme, vile homicidal rightwingery? That seems to be the case for ah - how can I put this - many on the "Left". Am I wrong?



And who's saying gay rights compensates for anything Israel does? No one here would argue that. Try another strawman.

[King_David]

2. Strange Bedfellows indeed,

But Peter LaBarbera, founder and president of Americans for Truth about Homosexuality (AFTAH), sees nothing intolerant about opposing a deviant lifestyle.

"This is a very sad development because Judaism is responsible for our moral condemnation of homosexual and all deviant behaviors," he notes. "And so for Israel now to be proclaiming itself friendly to homosexuality is a repudiation of Israel's own heritage and the God of Israel."

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=1509716




Israel and ‘Pinkwashing’


By SARAH SCHULMAN

Published: November 22, 2011


---snip----------

Pinkwashing not only manipulates the hard-won gains of Israel’s gay community, but it also ignores the existence of Palestinian gay-rights organizations. Homosexuality has been decriminalized in the West Bank since the 1950s, when anti-sodomy laws imposed under British colonial influence were removed from the Jordanian penal code, which Palestinians follow. More important is the emerging Palestinian gay movement with three major organizations: Aswat, Al Qaws and Palestinian Queers for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions. These groups are clear that the oppression of Palestinians crosses the boundary of sexuality; as Haneen Maikay, the director of Al Qaws, has said, “When you go through a checkpoint it does not matter what the sexuality of the soldier is.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/23/opinion/pinkwashing-and-israels-use-of-gays-as-a-messaging-tool.html

[holdencaufield]

6. I support gay rights...

... but I can't find it in me to condemn those who persecute gays (and women, and children, and minorities) if those same people also hate Israel. What's a liberal to do?

I know! I'll invent the term "pink-washing". It won't make my position any less hypocritical, but it WILL divert attention from my hypocrisy.

Problem solved.

[King_David]

7. Yes I think you got it ... NT