One ultraconservative member of the Israeli government had pledged to abolish the Jerusalem Pride and Tolerance Parade. Another far-right minister with a history of homophobia, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who now oversees the police, is tasked with securing it.
The Jerusalem parade is normally a relatively staid annual tradition. But the event on Thursday is taking place at a fraught moment, five months after the most hard-line and religiously conservative government in Israel’s history took power.
L.G.B.T.Q. activists have reported a sharp increase in anti-gay abuse and violence in Israel in recent months, and say that they are expecting a large turnout for this year’s parade and bracing for possible violence.
Lehava, an extremist organization led by one of Mr. Ben-Gvir’s longtime associates, has planned a counter-demonstration nearby against what it calls the “abomination parade.” Lehava, which promotes strict separation of Jews and non-Jews, has been described by groups promoting religious tolerance as inciting ethnic hatred and even violence, and its leader has called for the expulsion of Christians from Israel. » | Isabel Kershner | Thursday, June 1, 2023
