Haredim: Jlem gay parade may lead to another
war
Thousands of ultra-Orthodox protest at Jerusalems Sabbath Square
against holding of 2006 Gay Pride Parade in city; war in Lebanon
broke out as soon as the parade was announced, haredi man says.
Head of Eda Haredit rabbinic court: We did not succeed in Lebanon
due to promiscuity in Holy Land
Neta Sela
Thousands of ultra-Orthodox protested at Jerusalems Sabbath Square
Wednesday against the holding of the 2006 Gay Pride Parade in the
city, with most of them linking the parade to the recent war in
Lebanon.
The parade is scheduled to take place on November 10.
The war in the north broke out as soon as the parade was
announced, a Mea Shearim resident told Ynet.
The parade was canceled due to the war, but gay rights groups acted
to set another date for the parade since the fighting has
ceased.
Rabbis are fearful of another war, the haredi said, adding that a
special request has been forwarded to Diaspora Jews so they too
would protest and act for the preservation of Jerusalems
sanctity.
Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch, the head of the Eda Haredit rabbinic court,
said during the rally, We did not succeed in Lebanon due to the
obscenity and promiscuity in the Holy Land.
The rabbi quoted Rabbi Wasserman, who said during the Holocaust
that Zionism has destroyed the Land of Israels sanctity; this is
how the troubles of the Shoah began, and this is why we must act to
wend the promiscuity.
There is no greater disturbance than the disgraceful parade,
Rabbi Sternbuch said.
'Renewal of violence possible'
Despite the fact that Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski called out
against holding the parade in the city, many in the haredi
community hold him directly responsible.
The municipality did not protest against the holding of the
terrible abomination parade, Rabbi Sternbuch said.
The haredim also presented other divine signs against the
Jerusalem gay parade: The parsha for the Sabbath following the
parade is Vayera from the book of Genesis, which tells of the total
destruction of Sodom by G-d.
The parade falls on the day after the 16th anniversary of the
murder of Rabbi Meir Kahane, and his followers, who are expected
visit his grave on the Mount of Olives on the day the parade is
scheduled to take place, said they would take advantage of the
memorial ceremony for Kahane to fight the gay parade.
The Open House organization said the renewed campaign against the
gay parade will not deter community members or prevent the parade
from taking place.
The Pride and Tolerance Parade in Jerusalem is a human rights
rally aimed at promoting freedom of expression and pluralism, the
groups acting chairperson said.
Therefore we respect the right of those who object to the parade
to express their views in a legitimate manner; however, we warn of
a renewal of the incitement and violence.