Jerusalem: Designated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a rare rebuke of his new coalition allies for saying they would advance laws allowing discrimination against LGBTIQ people, pledging there would be no harm to their rights by his upcoming government.
Netanyahu is due to form the most ultranationalist and religious government in Israel’s history between his Likud movement and several openly anti-LGBTIQ parties. This has raised fears among Israel’s LGBTIQ community that the new government, expected to take office in the coming week, will roll back gains they have made in recent years.
Orit Struck, a Religious Zionist member of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, said on Sunday (Tel Aviv time) her party seeks a change to the country’s anti-discrimination law that would include permitting people to avoid acts that go against their religious beliefs — including discriminating against LGBTIQ people in hospitals.
Struck said in an interview on Sunday with Kan public radio that “so long as there are enough other doctors to provide care,” religious healthcare providers should be able refuse to treat LGBTIQ patients.
Simcha Rotman, another member of the party, said that private business owners, such as hotel operators, should be allowed to refuse service to LGBTIQ “if it harms their religious feelings”.
Netanyahu issued a pair of statements repudiating Struck’s comments.
Read the article by Ilan Ben Zion in The Age.