Israeli Queers protest in Jerusalem against "Out in Israel" festival

Today at 7:30pm local time, queer activists protested in front of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jerusalem.

The rally is to protest against "Israeli LGBT Festival" in San Francisco called "Out in Israel", which is funded by the Israeli consulate and Jewish organizations' together with support from the Israeli foreign affairs ministry.

Activists held signs and shouted slogans saying "Stop Pinkwashing of Israeli Apartheid", "Racism = Homophobia", and "No Pride in Apartheid" (See photos).

Elinor Sidi, Queer activists and produced the Jerusalem Pride Parade, 2008 and 2009, says, "Israel is using this festival to rebrand itself as a liberal and open state. We as human rights activists, refuse that gay rights will be used as whitewash for human right violations against the Palestinians. Israel is not liberal and not open."

Elisha (Shuki) Alexander, transgender activists says, "This is a unprecedented move where a foreign country funds a gay festival in the US, in order to promote - not the queer community here in Israel, but it's own self image. This kind of move, hides the violence in the Israeli society, and the discrimination and oppression the Israeli LGBT community suffer from, especially the transgenders. This festival hurts our cause and community. Israel is not only not liberal as it would like to be viewed, but it is also unsafe for queers, as there are hate crimes, and violence against gays."

Ido Katry, transgender activist, "The partial success of the gays in Israel, is no excuse for the human right violations in the occupied territories, is no excuse for the occupation, and surely does not turn the state of Israel, or the Israeli society to liberal."

According to the Israeli consulate spokesman, the festival is aimed to "show Israel as a liberal and open state", at a time when "Israeli 'hasbara' (propaganda) is facing negative public opinion, the foreign affairs ministry has adopted a unique strategy".

However, contrary to what they are trying to show, Israel, like many other countries, is a homophobic state, with no equal rights for queer couples, Israel is especially oppressive and discriminating against the transgender population, Israeli society is racist and homophobic, as we saw in the hate crime last august at the BarNoar in Tel-Aviv. Israel is not as liberal to LGBT as it would like to present itself.

Palestinian LGBTQI organizations Aswat and Al-Qaws have called for a boycott of the festival since it uses the few LGBT right we managed to gain, in order to whitewash (or "pinkwash") the oppression of the Palestinians, and the criminal occupation, from which LGBTQI Palestinians suffer.

We, Israeli Queers, call on Avigdor Lieberman, minister of foreign affairs, to stop supporting with ridicules festival, which is done in our name, and on our backs, the LGBTQI struggle is not yet over! Our struggle against homophobia is not for sale, this festival hurts our struggle for equal rights, and makes the world believe there is no need to help our communities here, since all our right have been accomplished a long time ago. The hate-crime shooting in the LGBT youth club, that happened this August, and other homophobic attacks this year prove, that Israel is not safe for LGBT, especially noting that the murderer was never caught by the Israeli authorities.

Israel is NOT liberal and open, Israel is a RACIST state, a HOMOPHOBIC state, and an APARTHEID-like state.