Israel’s Pinkwashing Turns Red in Jerusalem
Once again Jerusalem has been the venue for
an attack on a Gay Pride march.
Previously ultra-Orthodox opposition has confined the parade to a
stadium and in 2005 the same religious lunatic, Yishai Schlissel, stabbed 3 people and
was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.
an attack on a Gay Pride march.
Previously ultra-Orthodox opposition has confined the parade to a
stadium and in 2005 the same religious lunatic, Yishai Schlissel, stabbed 3 people and
was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.
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| Benny Gopstein and his religious fascists in Lehava demonstrate against the Pride march |
The anti-miscegenation group Lehava, which
opposes Arab-Jewish liaisons and attacks Arabs caught in ‘Jewish’ areas, held a
demonstration to protest the Pride demonstration. Note what its leader, Benny Gopstein
said: They ‘oppose the stabbing of
Jews.’ Which translated means they
don’t oppose stabbing Palestinians. This
is the group that the Israeli state, courtesy of the new acting Foreign
Secretary, the lunatic Orthodox Tzipi Hotoveli, helped fund.
opposes Arab-Jewish liaisons and attacks Arabs caught in ‘Jewish’ areas, held a
demonstration to protest the Pride demonstration. Note what its leader, Benny Gopstein
said: They ‘oppose the stabbing of
Jews.’ Which translated means they
don’t oppose stabbing Palestinians. This
is the group that the Israeli state, courtesy of the new acting Foreign
Secretary, the lunatic Orthodox Tzipi Hotoveli, helped fund.
 |
|
Israeli security forces reach
for an ultra-Orthodox Jew attacking people with a knife during a Gay Pride parade Thursday, July 30, 2015 in central Jerusalem. Photo by AP |
Jewish Home Chairman and Education
Minister, Naftali Bennett, a man who openly boasts of how many Arabs he’s
killed stated that “Whoever did it harmed Jewish and moral values’. Which values might these be? The ones that allow the murder of over two
thousand defenceless residents of Gaza?
Or the slaughter of over 500 children?
Or maybe the theft of their land?
Minister, Naftali Bennett, a man who openly boasts of how many Arabs he’s
killed stated that “Whoever did it harmed Jewish and moral values’. Which values might these be? The ones that allow the murder of over two
thousand defenceless residents of Gaza?
Or the slaughter of over 500 children?
Or maybe the theft of their land?
Jewish Home has been one of the
principal opponents of any legislative progress towards gay equality in Israel and
has blocked civil unions and even equal treatment for gay partners in terms of
tax credits.
principal opponents of any legislative progress towards gay equality in Israel and
has blocked civil unions and even equal treatment for gay partners in terms of
tax credits.
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| victim of the stabbing |
Whilst the pinkwashing of Israel, as the
most gay-friendly country in the world suffers a setback, we shouldn’t think of
this as an isolated incident. It is the
product of Zionism’s hatred of the other, gays included, whatever hasbara might
have people believe on the surface. It
is not the first instance of an attack on gay people in Israel because they are
gay. In 2009 two gay people were killed
in Tel-Aviv and last year a proposal to permit civil unions was also voted down
by the Knesset .
most gay-friendly country in the world suffers a setback, we shouldn’t think of
this as an isolated incident. It is the
product of Zionism’s hatred of the other, gays included, whatever hasbara might
have people believe on the surface. It
is not the first instance of an attack on gay people in Israel because they are
gay. In 2009 two gay people were killed
in Tel-Aviv and last year a proposal to permit civil unions was also voted down
by the Knesset .
Gay marriage is of course not allowed because
that would be a fundamental breach in the refusal of Israel to countenance any
form of civil marriage (which would allow Jews and Arabs to marry).
that would be a fundamental breach in the refusal of Israel to countenance any
form of civil marriage (which would allow Jews and Arabs to marry).
 |
| Attending a stabbing victim |
One of the few areas where there has been
an advance is in the Law of Return. A
gay partner of someone who is Jewish is allowed the same right to live in Israel
and claim citizenship as someone who is married to a Jew. So there is a sort of equality when it comes
to the oppression of Palestinians.
Likewise you can be openly gay in the Israeli military.
an advance is in the Law of Return. A
gay partner of someone who is Jewish is allowed the same right to live in Israel
and claim citizenship as someone who is married to a Jew. So there is a sort of equality when it comes
to the oppression of Palestinians.
Likewise you can be openly gay in the Israeli military.
Yishai Schlissel can rest content that
unlike Arab ‘terrorists’ he is in no danger of having his apartment demolished
as punishment for his actions. He is of
course Jewish.
unlike Arab ‘terrorists’ he is in no danger of having his apartment demolished
as punishment for his actions. He is of
course Jewish.
Tony Greenstein
6 Stabbed at Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade by Ultra Orthodox Jewish Assailant
Suspect was convicted of attempted murder
after stabbing three during 2005 Gay Pride Parade; he was recently released
from prison.
after stabbing three during 2005 Gay Pride Parade; he was recently released
from prison.
Six people were stabbed at Jerusalem’s
annual Gay Pride Parade on Thursday. The suspected attacker was identified as
Yishai Schlissel, the same man behind the attack on the 2005 parade, recently
released from prison.
annual Gay Pride Parade on Thursday. The suspected attacker was identified as
Yishai Schlissel, the same man behind the attack on the 2005 parade, recently
released from prison.
 |
| Plainclothes Israeli police detain an-ultra Orthodox Jew after he attacked people with a knife during a Gay Pride parade Thursday, July 30, 2015 in central Jerusalem. Photo by AP |
One woman was critically wounded, Magen
David Adom emergency services reported, adding that two men were moderately
wounded, and another two men and a woman suffered light wounds. Magen David
Adom emergency services treated the victims on the scene, and then rushed them
to three different hospitals in Jerusalem.
David Adom emergency services reported, adding that two men were moderately
wounded, and another two men and a woman suffered light wounds. Magen David
Adom emergency services treated the victims on the scene, and then rushed them
to three different hospitals in Jerusalem.
Police confirmed that the suspected stabber
is Schlissel, a Haredi man from Modiin Ilit who stabbed three participants in
the 2005 Gay Pride march. He was recently released from prison after serving a
10-year sentence.
is Schlissel, a Haredi man from Modiin Ilit who stabbed three participants in
the 2005 Gay Pride march. He was recently released from prison after serving a
10-year sentence.
Thousands of people took part in the march,
which was heavily secured by police. In the Keren Hayesod Street, a haredi man
broke into the crowd and stabbed several of the marchers. He was quickly
wrestled down by police and arrested. Minutes after the stabbing, organizers
and police agreed the march will go on and terminate in the agreed upon
location in Liberty Bell Park.
which was heavily secured by police. In the Keren Hayesod Street, a haredi man
broke into the crowd and stabbed several of the marchers. He was quickly
wrestled down by police and arrested. Minutes after the stabbing, organizers
and police agreed the march will go on and terminate in the agreed upon
location in Liberty Bell Park.
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| Yishai Schlissel walks through a Gay Pride parade and is just about to pull a knife from under his coat and start stabbing people in Jerusalem, Thursday, July 30, 2015. AP |
Schlissel was sentenced for 12 years in
prison for the 2005 attack after his conviction on charges of attempted murder
and aggravated assault. However, in 2007, following an appeal, the Supreme
Court mitigated his sentence to 10 years.
prison for the 2005 attack after his conviction on charges of attempted murder
and aggravated assault. However, in 2007, following an appeal, the Supreme
Court mitigated his sentence to 10 years.
After his release, Schlissel returned to
his hometown, where residents said that he distributed hand-written pamphlets
in which he called on “all Jews faithful to God” to risk
“beatings and imprisonment” for the sake of preventing the parade.
his hometown, where residents said that he distributed hand-written pamphlets
in which he called on “all Jews faithful to God” to risk
“beatings and imprisonment” for the sake of preventing the parade.
 |
| Stabbing victim |
The Judea and Samaria Police District said
after the attack that they were not supposed to track Schlissel after his
release, even though he resides in their jurisdiction, because his crime was
perpetrated in the Jerusalem district.
after the attack that they were not supposed to track Schlissel after his
release, even though he resides in their jurisdiction, because his crime was
perpetrated in the Jerusalem district.
Jerusalem District Police chief Moshe Edry
said police didn’t have concrete intelligence that Schlissel was in the area of
the parade. “We were prepared for every scenario, but our perimeter was
breached. This is a severe, hard incident, which required us to investigate to
find out what fault cause this breach,” he said.
said police didn’t have concrete intelligence that Schlissel was in the area of
the parade. “We were prepared for every scenario, but our perimeter was
breached. This is a severe, hard incident, which required us to investigate to
find out what fault cause this breach,” he said.
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| A stabbing victim at the Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade, July 30, 2015.Emil Salman |
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the
stabbing was a very serious event, and promised that the state will bring the
full weight of the law against the suspects.
stabbing was a very serious event, and promised that the state will bring the
full weight of the law against the suspects.
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| Religious counter-demonstrator at Jerusalem 2007 demonstration |
“In the state of Israel the
individual’s freedom of choice is one of basic values. We must ensure that in
Israel, every man and woman lives in security in any way they choose. That’s
how we acted in the past and how we’ll continue to act. I wish the wounded a
speedy recovery,” he said in a statement.
individual’s freedom of choice is one of basic values. We must ensure that in
Israel, every man and woman lives in security in any way they choose. That’s
how we acted in the past and how we’ll continue to act. I wish the wounded a
speedy recovery,” he said in a statement.
Benzi Gopstein, chairman of the right-wing
group Lehava, said that while activists from his organization staged a protest
against the “abomination parade,” they “oppose the stabbing of
Jews.” He called on the police not to allow the parade to take place in
Jerusalem again.
group Lehava, said that while activists from his organization staged a protest
against the “abomination parade,” they “oppose the stabbing of
Jews.” He called on the police not to allow the parade to take place in
Jerusalem again.
Police had granted a permit to 30
right-wing activists to protest against the event near the Great Synagogue, not
far from the marchers. Earlier on Thursday, Israel Police arrested right-wing
extremist Baruch Marzel though they denied the arrest had anything to do with
the city’s annual Gay Pride Parade. Marzel is a member of the far-right Otzma
Yehudit party and usually takes part in the annual protest against the parade.
right-wing activists to protest against the event near the Great Synagogue, not
far from the marchers. Earlier on Thursday, Israel Police arrested right-wing
extremist Baruch Marzel though they denied the arrest had anything to do with
the city’s annual Gay Pride Parade. Marzel is a member of the far-right Otzma
Yehudit party and usually takes part in the annual protest against the parade.
 |
| Yishai Schlissel’s arrest at the Gay Pride Parade on July 30, 2015 (left), and his arrest in 2005. |
Opposition leader Isaac Herzog called the
stabbing a “heinous hate crime” and urged the police to allow gay
pride events to go on. “Don’t give in to the enemies of everything that’s
good and beautiful about Israel,” he said in a Facebook message.
stabbing a “heinous hate crime” and urged the police to allow gay
pride events to go on. “Don’t give in to the enemies of everything that’s
good and beautiful about Israel,” he said in a Facebook message.
Education Minister and Habayit Hayehudi
chairman Naftali Bennett called the stabbing a “moral crime that cannot be
forgiven.”
chairman Naftali Bennett called the stabbing a “moral crime that cannot be
forgiven.”
“Whoever did it harmed Jewish and
moral values, and must be punished with the utmost severity. When events are
clarified Israeli society must do some soul searching to understand how it has
come to this,” Bennett said.
moral values, and must be punished with the utmost severity. When events are
clarified Israeli society must do some soul searching to understand how it has
come to this,” Bennett said.
The Israeli National LGBT Task Force
severely condemned the attack, saying that “they feel shocked that serious
violent incidents such as this still happen in Israel in 2015.”
severely condemned the attack, saying that “they feel shocked that serious
violent incidents such as this still happen in Israel in 2015.”
The Anti-Defamation League extended its
solidarity with the LGBT community. “We are shocked and horrified by this
heinous attack on a parade that is widely attended and includes government
representatives and political leaders,” the organization said in a
statement.
solidarity with the LGBT community. “We are shocked and horrified by this
heinous attack on a parade that is widely attended and includes government
representatives and political leaders,” the organization said in a
statement.
A stabbing victim at the Jerusalem Gay
Pride Parade, July 30, 2015.
Pride Parade, July 30, 2015.
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