News

By Terry Vanderheyden

JERUSALEM, June 22, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Israeli rabbis have joined Arab sheikhs to denounce a week-long World Gay Pride event planned for Jerusalem in August.

Brooklyn-based Jews for Morality leader Rabbi Yehuda Levin is in Israel to lead a coalition of religious leaders that includes Israeli-Arab MK Sheikh Tzartzur and Rabbi Menachem Fruman, among others, who oppose the anticipated homosexual event. Rabbi Levin has even called for a ceasefire (“hudna” in Hebrew) between Israelis and Arabs so the two factions can join forces against their common moral enemy.

Several news agencies from around the world attended Levin’s press conference Monday; he expressed disappointment that Al-Jazeera did not attend. “It’s important for us to get this message out to the Moslem world for several reasons,” Levin emphasized, according to an Israel National News report. “Their enthusiastic cooperation in this matter can be very helpful in convincing the police that there is a security risk involved in allowing the parade to be held.”

Rabbis from Italy, Russia and Venezuela were also present, as were Muslim Sheikhs Tamimi and Hamed Bitawi by phone.

Because Moslems could perceive the gay pride parade as a failure on the part of “Jewish infidels” to prevent the Holy Land from being “polluted,” it could aggravate tension and hatred against Jews, argued Rabbi Fruman. “I have long felt that the conflict between us is a religious one… A prominent Sheikh just spoke last week very strongly against homosexuals – the Al-Alwatim, they call them, in the name of the Biblical Lot, even though Lot actually tried to prevent a homosexual attack… I feel very strongly that having the parade could increase the risk of Arab attacks against Israel – possibly on the day of the parade itself, and possibly afterwards.”

Victims of Arab Terror leader Shifra Hoffman also opposes the parade. “To flaunt something as obscene as this in our Holy City is something we cannot afford in our relationship with G-d,” she stated. “What we hope to do is to put pressure on rabbis and leaders – even though they should be pressuring us. We have to threaten to lie in the streets if this parade happens. It has to be clear that thousands of people will bodily block this march.”

A women’s group is also lobbying to cancel the march. See more information at:
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=105673

District Court Judge Yehudit Tzur ruled recently that Jerusalem had discriminated against the homosexual organization, Open House for Pride and Tolerance, ordering the city to pay the group 350,000 shekels (CAD$80,000). The payout covers “cultural and social activities” held by the Center since 2003, when the city stopped funding the organization.

See LifeSiteNews.com coverage: https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/may/06053001.html

See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
  Jerusalem Homosexual “World Pride” Parade Postponed Indefinitely
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/may/05050501.html