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WORLD NEWS Monday 23 July 2018

Gays on strike in Israel over exclusion from surrogacy law

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — be a father!” he said.
Tens of thousands of Israeli Footage aired on Israeli
LGBT advocates and their TV later showed police
supporters went on strike pushing him into a police
across the country Sunday, car. Israeli police said two
protesting the exclusion of people were detained and
gay men from a recently then released.
passed surrogacy law. The protest has grown into
The community is outraged a general call for equal-
that after Prime Minis- ity, following other recent
ter Benjamin Netanyahu controversial legislation
pledged to pass legisla- that appeared to target
tion supporting surrogacy Israeli liberalism. The pro-
for gay fathers, he then test has generated wide-
voted against it, appar- spread support and hun-
ently under pressure from dreds of employers said
his ultra-Orthodox Jewish they would allow employ-
coalition partners. Protest- ees to observe the strike
ers marched in Tel Aviv and without penalty. Israel has
other Israeli cities on Sun- emerged as one of the
day, waving rainbow flags world’s most gay-friendly
and briefly blocking a ma- travel destinations in recent
jor highway. years, in sharp contrast to
Tel Aviv’s central Rabin LGBT community members block a highway during a protest against a surrogate bill in Tel Aviv, the rest of the Middle East
Square was packed with Israel, Sunday, July 22, 2018. where gays are persecuted
tens of thousands of people Associated Press and even killed. In Israel,
for the main demonstration at the Israeli law,” said for- for the LGBT community. tester draped in a rainbow homosexuals serve openly
Sunday night. “Although mer Israeli lawmaker Nitzan Hundreds protested near flag, chanted: “We will not in Israel’s military and par-
Israel has a very liberal im- Horowitz at the protest, who Netanyahu’s residence in remain silent!” liament, and many popular
age concerning gays it’s called for law amendments Jerusalem. “Look me in the eyes and artists and entertainers are
not the case when you look to ensure equal treatment Eyal Lurie Pardes, a pro- tell me I don’t deserve to homosexual.q