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Last Updated: Friday, 24 June, 2005, 10:21 GMT 11:21 UK

Jerusalem bans gay pride parade

An Israeli soldier holds a rainbow-coloured flag at a gay pride parade in Jerusalem on 3 June 2004
Jerusalem says holding a gay pride parade would be 'provocative'
Jerusalem authorities have said they are banning a gay pride parade planned for next week, saying the event would be "provocative" and set off unrest.

The Jerusalem Open House group, which is organising the march scheduled for 30 June, said it would challenge the decision in court on Sunday.

The organisation said police had already approved the parade route.

The event has been held for the last three years and previously passed off peacefully albeit under heavy security.

"It wouldn't be right to authorise the march and the related festivities in Jerusalem out of the concern that it would be provocative and hurt the feelings of the broader public living in and visiting the city," the municipality said in a public notice to the organisers.


The actions of the mayor, and those carrying out his policies, are injurious to the values of freedom of expression
Hagai El-Ad
Jerusalem Open House director

Open House dismissed the comments.

"The actions of the mayor, and those carrying out his policies, are injurious to the values of freedom of expression," said director Hagai El-Ad.

"The city of Jerusalem continues in its discriminatory policy against the Jerusalem Open House and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community in Jerusalem."

'Sodom' fears

Three months ago, Christian, Jewish and Muslim religious leaders held a news conference calling for gay festivals in Jerusalem to be banned.

They said a gay parade through the city could spark violence.

One Muslim cleric suggested gay events in Jerusalem would attract divine wrath similar to that which destroyed the biblical city of Sodom.

Several weeks ago, Jerusalem Open House postponed an international gay event, Jerusalem WorldPride 2005, that had been scheduled for August and would have coincided with Israel's planned Gaza pullout.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4618465.stm

I worry for the state of democracy in Israel when freedom of expression of the individual is limited in such ways. by the tyranny of the majority (especially this "new" category, the "feelings" of the majority)

I wasn't going to comment but when the door is open...I fear for civilation when marches like this exist.

Dan L

I fear for democracy when marches like this are banned. How sad that the only Christian, Jewish and Moslem leaders in the Middle East can get together is to attack another group.

When one of these marches is held, it seems to me that the media shows up, crowds of protesters appear, and the march gets huge amounts of publicity. Let them have the march. Stay home, don't watch the news about it, don't give it any free publicity or attention - in short, ignore it.

Hats off to the Christians,Jews and Moslems who took a firm stand against public indecency in the city where Our Saviour marched to his crucifixion.

Some day, "values of freedom of expression" will be an accepted democratic alibi.

GOOD! THANK GOD!

Excellent!

Gaudior, gettting a bit tired of people who insist on public parades and in-your-face sinning.

Gay pride parades are a reality in the U.S. and what worked in Jerusalem probably won't get them banned here. I think this is a small, but loud, minority that seeks attention. What if they held a gay pride parade and no one showed up but themselves?

I believe we have something called the First Amendment here, so don't expect many bannings of free expression in a democratic society.

Does the "State of Israel" have a constitution? If not, I fear that any appeals to the courts over human rights - including the rights of Arab Palestinians, and the rights of the remaining Christian population - will accomplish nothing.

Incognitus

Every modern nation has a constitution of one kind or another, but I don't know much about Isreal's. Given that the state was founded in the latter half of the 20th century I would assume "freedom of speech" and "freedom of expresion" would be included in it.

Let us hope that moral Americans will use their free speech rights to teach the homosexuals that what they do is an abomination before God.

When democracy allows marches like the above is when democracy fails.

Christians in Israel are discriminated against. Christians in Palestine are persecuted. The Christian population in Israel is growing. In 2000 when Barak spoke of re-partitioning Jerusalem to give some of the land to be governed by the Palestine authority there were thousands of requests from east Jerusalem Arabic Christians for Israel identity cards. Christians are far better off in a Jewish Israel then they are in a Moslem Palestine.