Controversy Over Jerusalem World Pride 2006, Love Without Borders
Jerusalem World Pride 2006 (WP), a weeklong international event, will be held August 6-12, 2006. Organizers say this is a unique opportunity to make a global statement of pride and tolerance. The message sent from Jerusalem WP will echo worldwide, redefining LGBT identity, faith, and vision. This boundary-crossing event will be a massive demonstration of LGBT pride and human rights. In these times of intolerance and conflict, from the home of three of the world’s great religions, WP will proclaim that love knows no borders. Licensed by InterPride, Jerusalem WorldPride 2006 will be the second WP event ever, following the historic first WP held in Rome in 2000.
Some groups however are urging LGBT people not to go to Jerusalem WP. Boycott World Pride Jerusalem issued a call to boycott travel to World Pride Jerusalem as part of an international boycott of Israel. They support the rights of all LGBT people to love and live in freedom, and to demonstrate publicly to demand their/our rights. However, they feel these rights should not be placed in competition with the long struggle of the Palestinian people, including Palestinian LGBTIQ people, for self-determination, for the right to return to their homes, and the struggle against apartheid and the occupation of their lands.
The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission will not be participating in World Pride 2006, but say they support the work of LGBTI and human rights organizations which embrace the indivisibility of human rights and will continue to work with national and international partners to advance the global cause for the full enjoyment of human rights by all. IGLHRC encourages all human rights organizations and individuals who choose to participate in World Pride 2006 to engage in active discussion about the denial of human rights of all people in the region as well as LGBTI communities in Israel and the Occupied Territories.