Beilin. Seven conditions
Photo: Eli Elgarat
Possible Meretz-Shas partnership angers gays
Members of Meretz's gay forum infuriated with party's willingness to consider sitting in coalition with religious faction; pose demands to Meretz
The homosexual and lesbian members of Meretz are outraged after the left-wing party, which has promised in its election campaign videos to lobby for same-sex marriages in the next Knesset, said it is now considering sitting in a coalition with Shas.
In a letter to party Chairman Yossi Beilin and Knesset Member Ran Cohen, who head the faction's coalition negotiations team, members of Meretz's gay and lesbian forum expressed fury over the possibility of a partnership with the religious party, whose chairman, Eli Yishai, said just a few weeks ago that "homosexuals and lesbians are sick people."
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In a meeting the forum's heads held this week, one of the participants said that "it is strange that Shas has all of sudden become as legitimate as the Labor Party." Some members demanded that the forum call on the party to adopt a "just not Shas" approach in the coalition talks, but the forum eventually decided it will suffice in asking the party to set some prerequisites for sitting in a government with Shas.
The forum presented MK Cohen with seven conditions for joining in a coalition with the religious party: The Ministry of Interior will not be given to Shas; the status of same-sex couples will not be harmed; Meretz shall not support the Covenant of Matrimony" law if it does not apply to same-sex marriages; Meretz will demand that a human rights commissionership be established in Israel.
In addition, the forum requested that Meretz demands to get the chairmanship of the Committee on the Status of Women; that Meretz's MKs and ministers be granted total freedom of voting on matters of human rights and state and religion affairs; that Meretz shall see to it that government ministries allow gay pride parades to be held anywhere in Israel, including Jerusalem; and the last condition: Meretz will oppose to any step aimed at limiting the rights of the gay community.
