Rise of homophobic parties mobilises LGBTQ Israelis

Religious and far-right politicians, who have compared gay people to animals and demanded an end to Pride rallies, are poised to enter the next Israeli government sparking fear among the LGBTQ community.

After veteran leader Benjamin Netanyahu topped the polls earlier this month, he is expected to form a coalition with two ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties and the extreme-right Religious Zionism alliance.

One far-right lawmaker, Avi Maoz, set the tone last week, telling army radio: "We're going to study the legal avenues to cancel Gay Pride."

Religious Zionism leaders Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have a long history of hostility towards the LGBTQ community. In 2006, the duo organised a "beast march" which saw opponents of the Pride parade walk alongside donkeys in Jerusalem.

Smotrich, who is pushing for the defence portfolio in the new coalition, described himself as a "proud homophobe" during a 2015 talk at a high school, a recording of which was obtained by army radio. He later retracted the comment.

Ultra-Orthodox parties Shas and United Torah Judaism, both longtime allies of Netanyahu, have a long record of voting against LGBTQ rights.

Netanyahu, Israel's longest serving premier, has a broadly progressive record on LGBTQ policy issues.

According to Israeli media, the Likud party leader has said privately that Pride rallies will not be scrapped.

But his return to power is pinned on coalition negotiations with religiously conservative parties, causing concern within Israel's gay community that recent gains may soon be reversed.

"We don't know at this point exactly who will be in the government but, if our rights are threatened, we won't hesitate to fight. We stand ready," said Or Keshet, from Israel's leading LGBTQ organisation Aguda.

"There were right-wing and conservative coalitions, but what's taking shape is an ultra-conservative coalition, and there are fears, because Israel's never known such a scenario."

- 'Tolerance and respect' -

The prospect of the most right-wing government in Israeli history has also raised international concern, notably in Washington.

"We hope that all Israeli government officials will continue to share the values of an open, democratic society, including tolerance and respect for all in civil society, particularly for minority groups," US State Department spokesman Ned Price said last week.

Netanyahu started talks on Sunday with his political allies, who are pushing for policy pledges and cabinet jobs to reward their support.

Ben-Gvir, the poster boy of Israel's extreme right, wants to become public security minister which would give him oversight of the police. He has promised to protect Gay Pride participants, "even if I don't like" the march.

"I have changed: I have matured, moderated and come to the understanding that life is complex," Ben-Gvir wrote this week in the Israel Hayom newspaper, as part of efforts to distance himself from past comments against minorities.

Israel is more progressive than many of its Middle East neighbours and recognises the marriages of same-sex couples who wed abroad.

The outgoing coalition government passed legislation banning so-called "gay conversion therapy" and granting surrogacy rights to all.

For Keshet, the responsibility rests with Netanyahu "to preserve the democratic identity of the country and LGBTQ rights."