In the video: Tens of thousands at the Gay Pride Parade in Tel Aviv (Photo: Yotam Ronen, Editor: Tal Reznik)
Organizers of the Gay Pride Parade in Jerusalem called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday to replace National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir with security at the parade. "The minister of national security is not suitable to supervise the parade and maintain the peace of the marchers – his presence in the police command post and his potential for unacceptable interference in the complex security operation arouses deep concern for us," they wrote.
According to the organizers, Ben-Gvir lashed out at the gay pride parade in Jerusalem for years, was part of the "cattle parades," petitioned several times to cancel the parade, spoke out strongly against him and represented a member of Yishai Schlissel's family - and therefore he should not be allowed to be responsible for securing the event.
"We have found ourselves in a Kafkaesque situation in which the person responsible for securing the Pride and Tolerance Parade in Jerusalem is someone who for years tried to cancel it, inciting against it and against the gay community," said Jonathan Welper, chairman of the Jerusalem Open House for Pride and Tolerance.
"You don't feel safe." Ben Gvir (Photo: Reuven Castro)
"Therefore, we turn to you as the Prime Minister of Israel, as someone who has expressed his commitment to the gay community, and as someone responsible for the functioning of the various ministers and ministries, and ask you to personally extend your sponsorship of the security operation," they wrote. "This is in order to ensure that the Pride and Tolerance Parade in Jerusalem will pass peacefully this year, without unnecessary provocations, and out of respect for the marchers."
They added that they expected to prevent Ben-Gvir's involvement in the event and allow them freedom of expression and demonstration. "Over the past six months, we have seen the improper involvement of the Minister of National Security in operational decisions of the police and his harm to the police as an independent, state body committed to all citizens of Israel," they wrote. "Therefore, we expect the prime minister, who has often expressed his support for the parade and the gay community in Israel, to ensure that the minister does not interfere with the police carrying out its role in one of the most complex security operations over the course of a year, to allow freedom of expression and demonstration, and to prevent unnecessary provocations coming from the cabinet table. We'll meet on Thursday at the parade."
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- Itamar Ben-Gvir
- pride parade
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