Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz arrived today (Monday) to donate blood at the MDA compound in Jerusalem, after repealing the ban on gays donating blood in Israel.
"There is no difference between blood and blood," he said during the blood donation. Which belongs to history.
"For years, Israel has been trying to correct this discrimination without success, and now, at last, we have made progress."
Minister Horowitz donated blood after repealing the ban on gay blood donations // Photo: Yoni Rickner
Following a directive from Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz, the Ministry of Health removed the section that aborted gays in the blood donation questionnaire.
The change takes effect, and the new questionnaires no longer address the donor's sexual orientation.
Health Minister Horowitz added: "As of today, my blood is equal! There is no gay man in Israel who does not know the insult that accompanies the statement that you can not donate blood. It is such a basic humiliation and violation of the right to equality. The LGBT in Israel.
"Blood is blood", Photo: Moshe Hermon GPO
He said, "Years that the proud community has been fighting against the ban on donating blood. Years of telling us no, explaining why it is not possible. So here it is. We have removed the degrading and irrelevant questions in the blood donation questionnaire. Worth it, no matter what his gender or sexual orientation, whether he is LGBT or straight.
"After the surrogacy revolution, the transgender community assistance program and the precedent-setting budget for the gay community, we have taken another historic step toward equality for LGBT people in Israel, and that is a great pride."
Makes history in relation to the LGBT in Israel, Photo: Moshe Hermon GPO
The correction of discrimination was made possible thanks to the mobilization of MDA Director General Eli Bin, MDA blood services personnel and professionals in the Ministry of Health.
