Knesset okays law banning pride parade

[Scurrilous]

Two bills aimed at preventing gay pride parade from being held in Jerusalem, and across Israel, approved in first reading by Knesset Wednesday. 'This bill is meant to prevent bloodshed and internal strife,' NRP MK explains

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3409518,00.html

<snip>

"The Knesset approved Wednesday in a first reading two bills aimed at preventing the gay pride parade from taking place in Jerusalem, and in any other place in the country.

The bills were submitted by MK Eliahu Gabbay (National Union-NRP) and Shas MKs.

The proposed amendment to Basic Law: Jerusalem, initiated by MK Gabbay, would enable the Jerusalem municipal council to ban parades and rallies in town for considerations of disturbance to public order, offending the public's sensitivities or for religious considerations.

Forty MKs voted for Gabbay's bill and 23 opposed.

The Shas bill is more comprehensive and calls for a ban on pride parades throughout the country. The bill was also approved, with 41 MKs voting for it and 21 opposed.

The Prime minister's office stated that "Prime Minister Ehud Olmert does not think that Jerusalem is the appropriate location for holding gay-pride parades due to the special sensitive nature of the city, although he believes that such matters should not be limited by law."

[UndertheOcean]

1. Israel is running towards the right faster than ever...and this is the gravest danger facing it ...

not terrorism or the Palestinian question.

[msmcghee]

2. How far will they go?

Have they passed Franco yet, maybe Pol Pot or Adolph?

[UndertheOcean]

3. The Israeli society doesn't have to reach such an extreme and exagerated state for civil strife ..

kicking in . even possibly Civil war .

Especially if the more conservative and recent Russian element starts getting more clout.

[pelsar]

9. possible civil war?

the gay parade barely makes the headlines in israel....and no doubt the "russian element" will probably... (how does that affect our society again...outside of the increase in pork being sold, i'm not sure)

this cvil strife?....i must have missed it....where is it happening?
______

[oberliner]

4. Police approve Jerusalem Gay Pride parade

Police on Wednesday approved the Jerusalem Gay Pride march, paving the way for the parade to take place next Thursday.

Police also approved a haredi protest against the event, scheduled for Sunday

The parade is set to start at Independence Park and end at Bell Park.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1181570267323&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[Scurrilous]

5. Peres promised UTJ to block J'lem gay parade

<snip>

"Shimon Peres' election as president was preceded by innumerable phone calls and meetings between the candidate and his men, on one side, and Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community leaders on the other. One proposal that was raised called for Degel Hatorah, a faction of United Torah Judaism, to support Peres in exchange for his promise to block the Gay Pride parade scheduled to take place in Jerusalem next Thursday - or at least to move it away from the center of the capital. No deal was made, but aides to Peres confirmed Thursday night that the president-elect opposes holding the parade in Jerusalem.

All 12 MKs of the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party voted for Peres in Wednesday's presidential vote, for reasons that had nothing to do with the Gay Pride event. The six UTJ MKs - with the exception of Avraham Ravitz, who openly supported Reuven Rivlin for the post - have maintained a party-imposed silence regarding their votes.

While there is no way to know for sure how the other five voted, it would appear from analyses carried out by the Peres and Rivlin campaign headquarters, as well as from comments made by MKs, that Peres had the support of at least three: Yaakov Litzman, Shmuel Halpert and Yaakov Cohen. Moshe Gafni and MK Meir Porush are believed to have supported Rivlin.

Haaretz learned Thursday about the role played by the parade in Peres's talks with Degel Hatorah, whose two MKs are Ravitz and Moshe Gafni. Officials in Peres's office issued the following statement in response: " stance on the march in Jerusalem is known. He has in the past publicly stated that Jerusalem is a city that is holy to three religions and that it has enough problems."

more

[bemildred]

6. Well, I'm glad they are focussed on the important issues of the day.

:puke:

[IndianaGreen]

7. Israel is on the verge of losing bragging rights on LGBT rights.

Israel's megaphones in America love to point out how civilized Israel is compared to her Arab neighbors. The sad truth is that as Israel becomes more theocratic, it becomes more indistinguishable from those neighboring countries in which laws are based on ancient moral codes, and where reason is supplanted with religious fanaticism.

[question everything]

8. What does this have to do with Israeli Palestinians relations? (nt)