'Gay' bar torched ahead of homosexual event

JERUSALEM – Unidentified arsonists set fire to Jerusalem's only "gay" bar this week ahead of plans, blasted by top religious figures, to bring a world homosexual event here this August that has been blasted by top religious figures.

Shushan, a homosexual bar near Jerusalem's bustling Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall, suffered significant fire damage earlier this week when a man entered the doorway of the club and threw a burning rag inside. Flames spread quickly but patrons escaped without injury.

A Jerusalem police spokeswoman told WND an investigation is under way to determine whether or not the arson was in protest of World Pride, a mass international gathering of homosexual, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered individuals slated to take place in Jerusalem this summer. Shushan owner Sa'ar Netanel is part of a coalition planning the event.

Shushan – Jerusalem's "gay" bar. Photo: WorldNetDaily

"The police will investigate and we'll see," said Netanel. "This is the first time the club [has been] attacked, but I already received threats on my life."

Last month, an unlikely alliance of Israel's two chief rabbis, Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah, Catholic Archbishop Pietro Sambi and leaders of the Muslim community demanded at a news conference World Pride be canceled.

"We are shocked to have received notice that a worldwide assembly of 10 days, including an immodest parade devoid of minimal propriety, is scheduled to be held in Jerusalem this summer," the top leaders said in a joint statement last month. "It will offend the very foundations of our religious values and the character of the holy city."

The homosexual event, organized by InterPride, the International Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered Pride Coordinators, was previously held in 2000 in Rome, where it attracted about a quarter of a million participants. Images of the Rome festivities, featured on various homosexual websites, show throngs of shirtless men in shorts and bikini briefs congregated on the streets, some of them holding hands.

The theme for this year's Jerusalem gathering, according to the event website, is "Love without borders," with the goal of bringing a "new focus to an ancient city through a massive demonstration of LGBT dignity, pride and boundary-crossing celebration. In these times of intolerance and suspicion, from the home of three of the world's great religions, we will proclaim that love knows no borders."

The 2005 event brochure explains Jerusalem was picked as this year's site in part to strike a religious chord:

"WorldPride 2005 will bring thousands of us to Jerusalem to confront preconception with reality, prejudice with an opportunity for understanding, in a way that will capture the attention of the world. Together we will proclaim that in this ancient religious city – and in this region – we, too, belong."

Hagai El-Ad, executive director of the Jerusalem Open House, a homosexual and lesbian community center sponsoring World Pride, told WorldNetDaily yesterday: "The attempt to set fire to the Shushan bar is a crime that should be investigated vigorously by the police. We call upon Jerusalem's mayor [Uri Lupolianski] to make the very short journey from City Hall to the Shushan bar right across the street so that he, too, could share in taking a stand against violence and for tolerance."

The Open House last week presented what it called a coalition of religious leaders – which included the rabbi of a homosexual synagogue, a leader of the ultra-liberal Jewish Reconstructionist movement and a local rabbi that officiates same-sex weddings – to counter last month's gathering of Jerusalem religious figures condemning the homosexual event.

"The Jerusalem religious leaders were parroting the words of the Christian right by denying religious freedoms. ... I am proud to speak out for World Pride," said Ayelet Cohen, a rabbi from Congregation Beit Simchat Torah in New York, the world's largest "gay synagogue," and a member of the pro-homosexual religious panel.

Organizers of this year's event expect to draw more than 100,000 gays and lesbians from around the world to the holy city. But a WND investigation has found that only a few hundred hotel rooms are currently booked by foreigners coming to Jerusalem for World Pride.

Russell Lord, owner of Kenes International, a Tel Aviv travel agency that specializes in "gay vacations" and is one of the main agencies for the homosexual event, told WND: "only about 300 rooms are booked through me right now. I am getting calls from about a hundred or so more who are interested."

Inquiries to hotels sponsoring World Pride and other participating travel agents revealed another 200 rooms booked. In addition, a liberal Jewish organization, United Jewish Communities, says it is bringing a delegation of about 300.

"I think once we get closer, things will pick up," said Lord. He estimated a total of "maybe 4,000 people" will come from abroad, which he admits is "a far cry from the attendance of World Pride in Rome."

Previous stories:

'Gay' fest organizers boast 'religious coalition'

Religious leaders: No 'gay pride' in holy city

Poll: Israelis say no 'gay pride' in holy city

Petition: No 'gay pride' in holy city

Christians, Jews oppose Jerusalem 'gay' fest

Global 'gay' event targets Jerusalem