Police authorize Jerusalem Gay pride parade*

Jerusalem Police Chief Ilan Franco informs Open House organization he
decided to approve their request to hold gay pride parade in capital
next week; hundreds of Orthodox demonstrate against upcoming event

Jerusalem Police Chief Ilan Franco informed the Open House organization
Wednesday that he decided to approve their request to hold the gay pride
parade in the capital next week.

Badatz rabbis distribute message that 'all sinners' involved in
Jerusalem pride march will 'feel a curse on their souls and evil will
pursue them.' Orthodox community plans mass protest against parade next
week; organizers expect 100,000 protestors

The parade will start at King David Street and then head toward the
Liberty Bell Garden, where a rally will be held.

Some 7,000 police officers are expected to secure the parade.

Earlier Wednesday hundreds of Orthodox protested the upcoming march.
Beefed up police forces assembled near the protest site along Mea
Shearim Street to prevent the protestors from blocking one of the nearby
traffic routes.

At the beginning of the week the Orthodox Righteous Court of Law
(Badatz) placed a curse on the parade’s organizers and participants. The
curse also applied to police forces that will secure the event.

Prominent rabbis from the Orthodox sector published a message which
read: "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 acquitted of their
transgressions from heavenly judgment."

During the 2005 gay pride parade in Jerusalem three participants were
stabbed by a haredi man. Last year’s event, which took place in a
stadium at Hebrew University’s Givat Ram campus, went by quietly.

Last Wednesday the Knesset approved in a first reading two bills aimed
at preventing the gay pride parade from taking place in Jerusalem, and
in any other place in the country.

The bills were submitted by MK Eliahu Gabbay (National Union-NRP) and
Shas MKs.

The Prime minister's office stated that "Prime Minister Ehud Olmert does
not think that Jerusalem is the appropriate location for holding
gay-pride parades due to the special sensitive nature of the city,
although he believes that such matters should not be limited by law."