Tag Archive for gays

| July 1, 2015
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Palestinian Gays Find Safety From the Same Israelis Accused of Oppression

The removal of the gay rights “rainbow” flag that had been painted on the Israel-West Bank security wall “reflects the absence of tolerance & freedoms in the Palestinian society,” said Jarrar.

By Israel Today Staff

 

It is somewhat ironic that the most vocal supporters of the Palestinian cause are ultra-liberals who also champion issues such as gay rights, given that Palestinian society does not tolerate homosexuals. In other words, they are fighting for the creation of a state that would suppress the very rights they demand elsewhere.

The counter-terror security wall, protecting Israel, before being whitewashed.

This was again demonstrated on Monday when protestors whitewashed a gay rights “rainbow” flag that had been painted on the West Bank security barrier by renowned Palestinian artist Khaled Jarrar. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: ,
| November 17, 2014
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Israel to provide gay-appropriate ID cards for children of same-sex parents

Coming out this month will be new ID cards of same-sex parents’ children, that will include gender accurate titles for each parent, i.e. ‘Mother’s name’ or ‘Father’s name’ indicated twice.

By Omri Efraim

 

 

Israel is set to launch new ID cards for the children of same-sex couples. The cards will permit both fathers or mothers to be registered as the child’s parents – regardless of whether they are the biological parent or not.

Father's name: Aviva Vivian

Old Israel ID, Father’s name: Aviva (Vivian)

Ynet has learned that the Population, Immigration and Border Authority (PIBA) will mint the new ID cards by the end of the month and they will have gender appropriate titles for both parents, with ‘Father’s name’ or ‘Mother’s name’ appearing twice instead on once each. Continue Reading »

Category: Jewish News | Tags: ,
| November 10, 2014
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Analysis: Neither new Iranian leader or Arab revolts ushered Israel-style rights for LGBTs

 

Possibly the most omitted major human-rights story developing in the Middle East are the systematic executions, brutalization & repression of the region’s gay community.

By BENJAMIN WEINTHAL

 

For the Middle East’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities, the grassroots upheavals in many Arab countries – and promised reforms in the Islamic Republic of Iran – have not produced a sexual liberation movement. Meanwhile, rollbacks in Turkey’s limited freedoms to LGBTs also are on the rise.

 

Celebrants march in the gay pride parade.

Celebrants march in the gay pride parade. – Photo: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST

Perhaps the most neglected major news story unfolding in the Middle East is the systematic repression of the region’s LGBT community.

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Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| October 22, 2014
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Watch: IDF soldiers perform drag show to the chagrin of their commander

Donning women’s clothing, Nahal fighters guarding the Dimona nuclear site put on impromptu show after returning from Gaza operation that sparked conflict with commanders.

By Yoav Zitun

 

 

A confrontation occurred between soldiers in the Dimona nuclear unit and their commanding officers because of an impromptu drag show the soldiers conducted after returning from Operation Protective Edge.

Soldiers in the Nahal Brigade were forced to remove this flag in thier quarters.

Soldiers in the Nahal Brigade were forced to remove this flag in their quarters.

The soldiers are part of the Nahal Brigade in regular service guard at the Dimona nuclear reactor, that were sent into Gaza during the recent operation. They decided to celebrate their return to the base with a show in which they dressed in drag, leading to a heated confrontation with their commander that was caught on video and sent to Ynet. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| June 4, 2014
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Justice Minister marries gay couple in civil ceremony

 

In her position as Justice Minister, Tzipi Livni presided over the wedding of Tzach & Guy, a same-sex couple who broke the traditional glass together in a civil Jewish ceremony.

By Itay Blumenthal

 

Justice Minister and Israel’s chief peace negotiator Tzipi Livni presided over a same-sex civil marriage, despite the fact that Israeli law does not yet recognize gay couples.

Livni with Guy and Tzach (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

Livni with Guy and Tzach – Photo: Motti Kimchi

Livni arrived Monday night at an event hall in Jaffa and married the couple, after the partners requested she participate in the ceremony and give them her blessing. The justice minister obliged and even spoke at the event, which was conducted in a Jewish fashion, despite the fact that the ceremony was not conducted by an ordained rabbi. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags:
| February 23, 2014
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IDF among top ‘gay friendly’ armies

 

New Hague Center report indexing gay treatment in the different military ranks, finds IDF in top-10, in terms of admission, inclusion & lack of persecution of sexual minorities.

By Ynetnews

 

Tel Aviv is known world-wide as extremely gay-friendly, but a new report now claims the same about the IDF.

IDF Gay Pride Month Facebook post

IDF Gay Pride Month Facebook post

The Hague Center for Strategic Studies has recently launched the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) Military Index and in its first report has ranked the IDF in the 9th place world wide in terms of acceptance of sexual minorities, beating out the US and neighbors Egypt, Lebanon and Syria. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| August 2, 2012
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Lebanese Security Arrest 36 Men in Gay Beirut Cinema

Security authorities reportedly perform rectal probes on detainees; unknown number released after exam to detect sperm.

By BENJAMIN WEINTHAL JERUSALEM POST CORRESPONDENT

 

BERLIN – Lebanese security authorities swooped in on a gay cinema in Beirut on Saturday and shut down the movie house, arresting 36 male attendees and performing anal probes on them.

Hezbollah posters on a Beirut street.

Hezbollah posters on a Beirut street. – Photo: Bloomberg

According to a report on the Gay Star News website on Monday, “an unknown number” of the 36 had been released after an unnamed doctor administered the anal exam – a procedure meant to detect sperm.

The website NOW Lebanon reported on Tuesday that the theater, Plaza Cinema, was not the first such venue that authorities had closed down.

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Category: Mid-East News | Tags: ,
| June 9, 2012
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Israelis flock by the thousands to Tel Aviv’s annual Gay Pride Parade

Speaking at the event, attended by thousands of tourists U.S. ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro says: Human rights are gay rights and gay rights are human rights.

By Ilan Lior

Thousands of people participated in Tel Aviv’s 14th Gay Pride Parade on Friday, including many tourists arrived in Israel to attend the annual gay pride week-long events.

The parade got underway in Gan Meir park, following an event which marked the conclusion of the week-long carnival in Israel’s largest city. Among the speakers were top political and municipal officials, including U.S. Ambassador Dan Shapiro.

Tel Aviv Gay Pride - Hadar Cohen - 8.6.2012

Women kissing during Tel Aviv's annual Gay Pride Parade, June 8, 2012.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| May 6, 2012
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LGBT rights in Israel: ‘Pinkwashing’ oppression of Palestinians or illuminating the Middle East?

Michael Oren tells U.S. crowd that while Palestinian suicide bombers blew up Israeli restaurants and buses, Israel provided shelter for LGBT Palestinians.

Tel Aviv is the best gay destination in the world. That’s what a world-wide survey hosted in January by GayCities.com and American Airlines showed, and Israeli diplomats in Western countries proudly put the fact on display.

Tel Aviv gay parade in 2011.

Tel Aviv gay parade in 2011 - Photo by: Ofer Vaknin

Many liberal pro-Palestinian activists saw this as “pinkwashing” the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories. The website pinkwatchingisrael.com called upon Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community members to boycott the 20th Annual Equality Forum in Philadelphia, which features Israel this year and has invited Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren to be a keynote speaker.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: ,