Yishai: Gay parade should be banned completely

Ahead of the upcoming elections, Shas Chairman Eli Yishai said that one of his party's main goals in the next Knesset would be to promote a bill banning the gay pride parade in Jerusalem.

"Even if a person maintains a certain lifestyle, he has no business marching and flaunting it, definitely not in Jerusalem where it hurts the feelings of so many," Yishai told Ynet in an interview Wednesday.

"I have the signatures of over 70 Knesset members from across the political spectrum who oppose the 'filth parade' in Jerusalem.

"And let's face it: It shouldn't be held in any other place in the country as well," he added.

According to Shas' leader, the IDF itself has defined homosexuality as something that warrants discharge on mental grounds. "We harbor no hate towards these people, God forbid. On the contrary: I view them as any other person in Israel and genuinely wish them good health. I also hear of people who underwent treatment and recovered."

The industry, trade and labor minister is still dreaming of becoming Israel's next education minister. He vowed that if appointed education minister he would not seek to change the core curriculum in non-religious institutions, but would attempt to introduce and strengthen Jewish and tradition studies in schools.

'We didn't finish the job in Gaza'

Commenting on the issue of yeshiva students' draft into the army, Yishai claimed that contrary to common opinion, the enlistment rate among the religious-haredi public is constantly on the rise, while it continues to drop in the secular sector.

"This stereotype that haredim don't serve in the army and contribute is false, and always was," he stated and explained that many haredim join the army for partial or full service or do civil service instead.

He also noted that praying also works to save lives. "Reciting psalms, studying Torah and praying for the wellbeing of IDF soldiers and the civilians in the home front are a great and helpful thing. There's no argument here," he stated.

As member of the cabinet, Yishai opposed the unilateral ceasefire that ended Operation Cast Lead in Gaza. "I thought that Hamas' rule should be toppled. Now Hamas would rebuild its infrastructure with Iranian money and then they will resume the smuggling and continue firing at Israel.

"We should have finished the job – pull out the ground forces and continue striking from the air. We should have hit thousands more houses and reached a point in which they don't dare shooting at Israel ever again," he concluded.