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An Israeli drag queen waits for his turn to perform at a gay club in Jerusalem. (AP)
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| By israelinsider staff and partners November 10, 2006 |
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| Israeli drag queen Tal Kalai, 24, dresses up before a show at a gay club in Jerusalem. (AP) |
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Israeli homosexuals on Thursday may have called off a weekend parade in Jerusalem under pressure of religious leaders and security concerns, but gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender leaders are buoyant about their progress in Israel.
The parade dispute has turned out to be a milestone in the battle for gay rights in the Holy Land, where secular society again finds itself in a head-on confrontation with influential religious conservatives.
"Over time we achieved a lot more than was expected, and it puts us in a very good place in the cultured world," said Uzi Even, a nuclear scientist who was the first openly gay member of Israel's parliament. "Now, we are being dragged back into the dark world of religion."
Rabbi Yosef Elnikaveh, a prominent religious leader, said that allowing the parade to proceed was surrendering to "mental illness." The mufti of Jerusalem, Mohammed Hussein, the top Muslim cleric in the Palestinian territories, said being gay is a crime and demanded police punish those involved in the parade. Christian evangelical groups in Jerusalem have called the parade "provocative" and demanded the venue be changed.
The recent outburst of violence is not, however, characteristic of how Israel treats its gay and lesbian community or of the relative acceptance they enjoy in society.
Gay life continues in various forms throughout Israel. Associations fight for gay rights, providing services to teenagers and holiday services at Passover and the Jewish New Year for gay Israelis who have bad relations with their families.
The nightlife is vibrant in Tel Aviv, a secular city on the Mediterranean coast. A fancy lounge, Evita, attracts gay people from all over Israel, as do parties at The Fag and The Vox, where gay men kiss openly as drag queens and internationally known porn stars perform on stage.
The Aguda, an association representing Israel's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, appeals to gay tourists to visit Tel Aviv, offering on their Web site everything from "sandy, sunny beaches to art museums."
The conservative city of Jerusalem has a gay scene, albeit more underground. Night life is limited to one club, the Shushan, which is home to a popular drag show. Here the queens are forced to get ready in dismal, small quarters _ compared to better accomodations in Tel Aviv.
The Israeli military, one of the most influential and respected institutions in society, is banned from discriminating against gays. Like nearly everyone else, gays and lesbians are drafted into the army at the age of 18 for mandatory service and are given the opportunity to progress up the ranks.
Israel's military is considered to be one of the most gay-friendly in the world, even according to activists who say there is still some homophobia there.
Recently, Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz, the army chief, was forced to apologize after making a statement offensive to the gay community. At a meeting with gay activists later, Halutz promised to make an effort to prevent discrimination and homophobia in the lower ranks of the army, where such problems are most prevalent.
The liberal approach is a far cry from the U.S. military, where gays are barred from being open about their sexual orientation.
On the other hand, Israel's gay community has just barely begun to fight for same-sex marriage, a key issue in the U.S. and Europe. They face a major obstacle in Israel. Rabbinical authorities hold a monopoly over Jewish marriage and divorce.
Secular groups have been fighting to get a law passed in parliament permitting civil marriages. But these bills, meant to help the thousands of Russian immigrants who are not considered Jewish under religious law, exclude same-sex couples.
"It's kind of schizophrenic. On some issues, we are very advanced, in other issues we are very far back," said Michael Hamel, chairman of the Aguda.
In the Palestinian territories, gays are forced to live in near secrecy due to strict Muslim mores. Palestinians have also been so preoccupied with fighting for independence that they have largely ignored most social issues, including gay rights, said Nader Said, a sociologist at Bir Zeit University in the West Bank.
"While it exists in objective reality, people prefer a code of silence. Even the homosexuals prefer a code of silence," he said.
The AP contributed to this report.
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