Hypocrisy at its best…..

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Recently named best gay city in a contest, Tel Aviv has seen a sharp rise in gay tourism. The city has long been referred to as a “bubble” for its openness in a region not known for tolerance towards homosexuality – something that seems to add to its allure. Israel’s Tourism Ministry launched a campaign three years ago to promote gay tourism. Their efforts seem to have paid off. Gay tourism consultants have been flooded with requests, and attendance at Tel Aviv’s annual pride events was up 25% last summer. Gay Pride Event Coordinator Adir Steiner said, “Tel Aviv is hot right now because it’s unique. It’s in the Middle East where it’s not so easy to be gay and it’s like a paradise in an area where you would not obviously have found an open city like Tel Aviv. So people find it interesting.” * So, Israel wants their bucks ….. but they must remain silent on Palestinian issues .. * A battle has been going on at New York’s LGBT Centre for over a year …. Taking Pinkwashing to a whole new level, one of Israel’s very very good friends– gay male pornographer Michael Lucas– is boasting that he single-handedly got NY’s Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Trans Community Center to not only cancel a “Party to End Apartheid” fundraiser to cover costs for Israel Awareness Week, but to ban the group from ever renting there again. Read THIS post from the archives.. post from the archives.. * Also read THIS letter that deals with the Occupation of Palestine We are a diverse group of lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and trans activists, academics, artists, and cultural workers from the United States who participated in a solidarity tour in the West Bank of Palestine and Israel from January 7-13, 2012. * Now, a look at what is going on in the Gay Community today…. (Sent by Chippy Dee)

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The center has not budged on the decision made last year to keep gay pro- Palestinian rights groups out of the center except to also ban NYC Queers Against Israeli Apartheid along with Seigebusters. ( See below.) Yesterday members of those 2 groups along with members of the center who oppose the administration’s censorship, and some supporters of the various Palestinian human rights groups, occupied the center for about 2 hours and held a rally in the lobby there. 150+ people were there. The rally included speakers, songs, and chants. Several speakers pointed out that the Israeli treatment of Palestinians was very much a queer issue because they too are singled out for persecution, efforts are made to isolate and segregate them also and they have very limited rights. These thoughts were presented very passionately. Since the center has banned any discussion of Palestinian rights this meeting defied that ban.

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Protest censorship by New York’s LGBT Community Center

Saturday, March 3rd at 4 pm 208 West 13th Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues We hope you will join Queers Against Israeli Apartheid and the 15 other groups that have endorsed the call for action this Saturday…see list below. On March 3rd we will gather at the LGBT Center from 4 to 6 pm to mark the one year anniversary of the Center’s banning of groups opposing Israeli apartheid. We will confront the Center’s censorship policy and its secret closed-door board of directors meetings. It’s been a year since NY’s LGBT Community Center banned Siegebusters, the anti-occupation organizers, from using space at the Center. Since that time NYC Queers Against Israeli Apartheid has also been banned from the Center—and a “moratorium” has been imposed on ANY discussion of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict (meaning “discussion” of support for Palestinian rights). The Center’s board promised, but never delivered, a policy revision clarifying their rental/access/programming guidelines. On Saturday, March 3, as part of Israeli Apartheid Week, we will end the ban on Palestinian-related organizing at the Center, and re-institute the Center’s original access policy of full inclusion for all queers who organize for liberation. The “moratorium” is over! The wealthy and powerful 1% should not be allowed to silence the voices of the 99%. Queers Against Israeli Apartheid will defy the ban on March 3 — Occupy the Center! Demands 1. End the ban on Palestine solidarity organizing at the Center 2. Open the Center to all who respect its stated mission. 3. Open the Center’s board meetings and decision-making process to the community. ENDORSING GROUPS Queers for an Open LGBT Center (QFOLC) alQaws for Sexual and Gender Diversity in Palestinian Society Adalah-NY: The New York Campaign for the Boycott of Israel Brooklyn for Peace FIERCE Jewish Voice for Peace-NY Jews Say No! International Action Center International Socialist Organization Metropolitan Community Church of New York New York Association for Gender Rights Advocacy (NYAGRA) Palestinian Queers for BDS Siegebusters Sylvia Rivera Law Project Workers World Party Young, Jewish and Proud*

And now from the event

Photos © by Bud Korotzer

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The Speakers…

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The Protest …

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After the initial protests inside the centre, the activists moved outside in front of the building. To hugh cheers, two banners were dropped from the center’s windows.

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