Gays ask haredim to back equal rights
Member of Tel Aviv city council and his counterpart from Jerusalem Municipality propose canceling parade in Jerusalem in return for haredim backing law granting same sex couples same conjugal rights as heterosexual rights
Tension surrounding the planned gay pride parade in Jerusalem prompted two members of the gay community to do some original thinking.
Pinkas, a member of the Tel Aviv Municipality council understood that violence and media tumult do not advance his cause.
"The parade is a basic thing and is not only important to us but to Israel as a democratic state, but we shouldn't forget that the objective of our movement is equal rights. Since haredim claim we harm them we return the ball to their pitch … haredi violence did not lead us to this, it just prompted us to understand that we need to limit violence."
"If we can have these rights – we would have achieved our objectives. If haredim cancel their objection to a Knesset bill that will grant gay families equal civil rights then we would have achieved our mission. I tell haredim: We will leave you in peace, and leave us in peace to manage our lives in a democratic manner," he added.
'Parade is only means'
Pinkas and Netanel are in contact with the Open House group for homosexuals but felt that the media-public debate is straying from the community's principles."We were annoyed that the debate is about the parade. The parade is only a means. Although this is a useful means, as we are seeing, but we don't want the public debate to stray in this direction," they said.
He said: "Our initiative springs from the fact that we are not against haredim. If they are in our way they should move. I am not asking to get a same-sex marriage in an Orthodox synagogue."
He said that his people have raised the issue with haredi source, whom he said were not "excited."
Saar Netanel, a member of the Jerusalem city council, said the initiative was proposed by Pinkas and him, and not by the Open House. "If the haredim reject the proposal that will be the answer to all of us as to why we should hold the parade. It is fair to estimate that that's what will happen, and this will prove the justice of the parade. This struggle is important."
Saar said that the reluctance of Open House representatives to focus public debate on the parade could be productive: "The Open House is placing a mirror in the face of the society. We shouldn't compromise and agree that homosexuals walking in the streets of Jerusalem become a cause for provocation. I call on the haredi public to agree to our compromise. Our struggle is for our rights, freedom of expression and democracy," he said.
"We are not asking for extra rights but equal rights. This is not a political game like they are playing."
The two vowed to attend the parade if it takes place.
