Jewish holy men curse Jerusalem Pride
A group of orthodox rabbis have placed a curse on an upcoming gay parade in the Israeli capital, and vowed to hold a massive rally in protest next week.
The rabbis, from the Eda Haredit sect, made a statement about the event yesterday. At the 2005 Pride event in Jerusalem a member of the sect stabbed three of the participants.
“To all those involved, sinners in spirit, and whoever helps and protects them, may they feel a curse on their souls, may it plague them and may evil pursue them; they will not be requitted of their transgressions from heavenly judgment,” their message read, according to The Jerusalem Post.
Police will announce tomorrow if they will allow the gay event on June 21st to go ahead.
Organisers have already said they will repeat their action last year and take the decision to Israel’s High Court of Justice if the authorities ban the parade.
Ultra-religious members of the Israeli parliament are attempting to bring forward new legislation to allow gay rights events in Jerusalem to be banned altogether.
Last year’s Jerusalem Pride event in the streets of the city holy to all three major religions was delayed and then cancelled, with a Pride gathering held in a sports stadium instead.
The Jerusalem Post reports that three quarters of the city’s residents oppose the Pride parade.
In April an explosive device detonated near Jerusalem was thought to be the work of ultra-Orthodox Jews protesting against the Pride event.
The small pipe bomb exploded near the West Bank separation fence.
One person suffered a minor leg injury and was taken to a hospital in Jerusalem.
Security forces investigating the scene reported the discovery of leaflets that call for the cancellation of the June 21st march organised by Jerusalem Open House.
The leaflets condemned last year’s WorldPride march in Jerusalem and advocated against holding future marches in the capital.
Last week Tel Aviv hosted its Pride event.
