Vatican requests Israel ban gay-pride parade

The Vatican urged Israel to ban a gay-pride parade Friday in Jerusalem, saying the march in the city that is holy to Jews, Muslims and Christians would offend the faithful. “The right to freedom of expression,” the Vatican said, “is subject to just limits.” Vatican teaching holds that homosexuals are “intrinsically disordered.” The church, however, says gays and lesbians should be treated with compassion and dignity.

In 2000, the Vatican denounced a gay-pride festival in Rome as an “insult” to Christians. Ultra-Orthodox Jews have protested the parade by burning tires and pelting police with stones. Jerusalem Police Chief Ilan Franco said 12,000 police and paramilitary border police may be deployed to protect marchers. It would be the biggest internal civilian security operation in Israel's history, Franco said. the rest


Letter highlights gay parade tensions
By RACHEL BEITSCH

Several haredi MKs received a letter on Wednesday threatening to rape girls in the haredi community if any marchers in the upcoming Gay Pride Parade were harmed.

"For every marcher you hurt, 10 religious girls will be raped," the letter said. "We swear to take revenge on you with the full gravity of the law. You have been warned."

The letter was signed by an unknown group claiming to be associated with the gay community.United Torah Judaism (UTJ) MK Moshe Gafni submitted a complaint to the Knesset Guard. the rest