Boycott world pride Jerusalem

Boycott world pride Jerusalem

There is something rather disturbing about the fact that the slogan for the August World Pride events in Jerusalem is “Love without Borders”. Perhaps the organisers thought they were being amusingly ironic, but there is nothing amusing about the fact that Jerusalem is a city divided by check-points, patrolled by the IDF and the bleakest symbol of Israeli occupation of Palestine.

Right now Israel is completing its apartheid wall, and has just completed a series of attacks on the infra-structure of the Gaza Strip and have isolated one and a half million people so that they have little access to food or other necessary supplies. Then there is the attacks on the civilian population of Lebanon with air strikes and a ground war.

Palestinians must carry identity cards and pass through checkpoints to move around even within the limited area they are supposed to have control of. Israel is an occupying force in Palestine and an aggressor in the region – the current conflict in Lebanon is only the latest in over fifty years of expansionist policy.

For these reasons over twenty prominent LGBTIQ groups, including groups from Lebanon and Palestine have become part of a boycott campaign. This includes ASWAT, an organisation of Gay Palestinian Women; HELEM , an organisation of LGBTIQ people in Lebanon and Al-Fatiah, an organisation of LGBTIQ Muslims.

The situation is of course complicated, not the least by the fact that the World Pride organisers in Jerusalem have delayed the planned march because of serious threats from ultra-orthodox jewish groups and the denial of a police permit to march. Threats have included the distribution of leaflets offering a substantial reward to anyone who kills a Pride marcher.

But the obvious problems that LGBTIQ people are faced with by religious extremists in Israel in no way makes it right to participate in a festival that LGBTIQ people from most of the rest of the Middle east will not be able to attend.

In fact the heightened security which organisers have assured international guests will make the event safe will also mean more checkpoints and much restricted travel for Palestinians in the area – few if any will be able to attend the party!

We support the boycott of World pride Jerusalem and stand in solidarity with LGBTIQ groups and all those opposing Israeli state terror. We support the right of return for all Palestinians, the destruction of the apartheid wall and a victory to the second Intifada and to the resistance in Lebanon.

Tue 26, September 2006 @ 00:06