Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., June 27, 2008 Sivan 24, 5768 | | Israel Time: 18:55 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Participants embrace at Tel Aviv's annual gay pride parade last week. (Dudu Bachar) Last update - 10:08 15/06/2007 Peres promised Haredi party to block Jerusalem gay pride parade By Yair Ettinger, Jonathan Lis and Yuval Yoaz Shimon Peres' election as president was preceded by innumerable phone calls and meetings between the candidate and his men, on one side, and Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community leaders on the other. One proposal that was raised called for Degel Hatorah, a faction of United Torah Judaism, to support Peres in exchange for his promise to block the gay pride parade scheduled to take place in Jerusalem next Thursday - or at least to move it away from the center of the capital. No deal was made, but aides to Peres confirmed Thursday night that the president-elect opposes holding the parade in Jerusalem. Advertisement All 12 MKs of the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party voted for Peres in Wednesday's presidential vote, for reasons that had nothing to do with the gay pride event. The six UTJ MKs - with the exception of Avraham Ravitz, who openly supported Reuven Rivlin for the post - have maintained a party-imposed silence regarding their votes. While there is no way to know for sure how the other five voted, it would appear from analyses carried out by the Peres and Rivlin campaign headquarters, as well as from comments made by MKs, that Peres had the support of at least three: Yaakov Litzman, Shmuel Halpert and Yaakov Cohen. Moshe Gafni and MK Meir Porush are believed to have supported Rivlin. Haaretz learned Thursday about the role played by the parade in Peres's talks with Degel Hatorah, whose two MKs are Ravitz and Moshe Gafni. Officials in Peres's office issued the following statement in response: "[Peres's] stance on the march in Jerusalem is known. He has in the past publicly stated that Jerusalem is a city that is holy to three religions and that it has enough problems." On Wednesday, the police finally decided to issue a permit for the parade, which pleased officials from Jerusalem Open House, the event's sponsor. However, the permit came with strings attached: The parade route was truncated severely, to only a few hundred meters, and only 5,000 marchers will be allowed to participate. Although that was the number on the permit request, organizers had hoped for 7,500 participants. In addition, organizers will have to hire about 160 security guards, at their own expense, to beef up the 7,000 police officers set to patrol the parade, the expected protest demonstrations and the post-parade party in Liberty Bell Park. Both the organizers and the police fear violence during the march, after an ultra-Orthodox man stabbed and wounded three marchers during the 2005 parade. The local gay community has therefore been divided in recent weeks over whether to hold the march in downtown Jerusalem, despite the risk of confrontation with the hostile population living in the area, or to move it to the government office compound, which the police favored because of the relative ease of maintaining security there. Ultimately, the organizers opted for a downtown route, but as a precaution, they did not include Keren Hayesod Street, on which the Great Synagogue is located. The permit calls for marchers to assemble at the intersection of Hess and King David Streets between 5 and 6:30 P.M. next Thursday and proceed to Liberty Bell Park. While the route is close to the center of town, it avoids residential neighborhoods and major gathering places. Police are expecting the city's ultra-Orthodox community to respond strongly to news of the permit for the parade. Last year's attempt to hold the World Pride parade in the capital resulted in violent demonstrations in which protesters burned large waste receptacles and blocked intersections. Meanwhile, the state has been ordered to respond by Monday to a High Court of Justice petition filed by right-wing activists seeking to stop the parade on the grounds that it will provoke "unprecedented violence." Bookmark to del.icio.us   Kosher Idol A new Haredi reality show called 'The Upcoming Voice' makes 'American Idol' kosher. Chief Rabbi's savior New look at Nazi-era papers names mysterious rescuer of future Chief Rabbi.   1.   promises 04:34  |  colin 15/06/07   2.   The old fool sold his soul the devil 06:40  |  Hanna 15/06/07   3.   Don`t Understand These Parades that Glorify Disorders 07:00  |  mike 15/06/07   4.   Violence 07:33  |  Gordon 15/06/07   5.   Both of you need to find your way to the nearest pig!!! 07:34  |  Virginia 15/06/07   6.   SHAME UTJ! GAYS WON:THEY INSTALLED PERES AS PRESIDENT)))))))))) 08:55  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 15/06/07   7.   gays 10:16  |  Tom 15/06/07   8.   he did not promise to keep his promise 10:23  |  A.M. 15/06/07   9.   #3 you are right but you dont know it 10:32  |  A.M. 15/06/07   10.   remember 12:08  |  luis 15/06/07   11.   What Of Other Alternative Lifestyles? 12:19  |  Dr. Ruthie 15/06/07   12.   Re 12:45  |  Lara 15/06/07   13.   NO parades in Jerusalem...For ANYBODY. 13:22  |  Virginia 15/06/07   14.   Lara, everyone is well aware gay people exsist. 13:30  |  Virginia 15/06/07   15.   # 5 refers to posters 1 & 2 13:41  |  Virginia 15/06/07   16.   parades 13:46  |  eli 15/06/07   17.   How About a Parade or Rally Promoting Incest? 15:32  |  mike 15/06/07   18.   jerusalem is the capital of Israel 16:39  |  alan 15/06/07   19.   virginia 17:54  |  alan 15/06/07   20.   Peres promised Haredi party ..... ! 19:02  |  Peter 15/06/07   21.   Speak my language/ "me no speak Torah`s language" 19:29  |  Yaakov 17/06/07   22.   Speak my language/ "me no speak Torah" 19:38  |  Yaakov 17/06/07   23.   "Nose-picker" parade in Berlin, London, Wash D.C. 20:51  |  Jeffrey 17/06/07   24.   reactions to Gay parade 04:56  |  Leon 07/06/08

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