100,000 protests in Tel Aviv against the new law

National rallies and strikes demanding equal gestation rights for homobaduals culminate in a mbad rally where Netanyahu focuses on anger

Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv Sunday night to protest the exclusion of gay couples from one gay rights activists and their supporters observed an unprecedented one-day strike on Sunday , and major protests took place in major cities of Israel, where hundreds of people have been discriminated against. saw wavy rainbow flags, blocking traffic, and shouting "shame."

Many have focused their anger on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who last week promised to pbad legislation supporting surrogacy for "It's very important that I'm not from the community, but I believe in equality, "said a protester named Eti at the Times of New York. Israel. "It's not fair that some people can not have children."

A resident of Tel Aviv participating in her very first LGBT solidarity protest, Eti said that she believed that Sunday's rally would force the government to pbad a surrogacy law. "I think it will make a difference – I've never seen such an activity online for a cause, it's different this time," she said. "Bibi can not avoid making a change."

According to police, some 100,000 people attended the rally in Rabin Square, according to reports in Hebrew media. Several streets in downtown Tel Aviv near the rally were closed to traffic, while dozens of policemen were deployed to secure the area.

Addressing the crowd, LGBT actress and activist Orna Banai accused Israel of being hypocritical.

"Too often, we have heard that we have it really well here, and that there is no discrimination. Because they do not stone us, they want us to sit down and keep quiet, "she said.

" But are you ready to sit down and shut up? " ", She said, Labor Party President Avi Gabbay was seen in the crowd and told channel 10 that he had come to show his support for the Israelis who are daily" victims of suffering and suffering. " Humiliations as they struggle for equal rights. "

Another protester, Shahar Abramovitz, told the Times of Israel that having his own children by the Substitution maternity bias forced him to participate in the protest. "I am here because we have our children via surrogacy. "Our twins are now three and a half years old, and we want to help others not to have to pay half a million shekels and to travel simply to have children. There should be equality for all. "

" We know that there is a time to run, and a time to fight. And now it's time to fight, "says Abramovitz

The gloves are off

The demonstrations generated broad support and hundreds of Israeli companies said they would allow their employees to attend the various protests Sunday without penalty 19659005] "It's a symbolic measure, but that shows real support," said Sunday to AFP Julien Bahloul, spokesman for the Association of Gay Fathers of D & # 39; 39, Israel

helping homobadual couples forced to seek surrogacy abroad.

Bahloul said that homobadual couples who want to have children must find a surrogate mother at home. and the costs can rise to more than $ 100,000. Chen Irieli, Israel's leading LGBTQ activist, told Channel 10 that the LGBT community in Israel was thrilled to see such a high turnout rate. In 1965, when we announced the strike, we did not expect as much support from the Israeli public, "she said. "We think it is a historic day today," she said. "Today, everyone understands that an attack against the LGBT community is an attack on Israel itself."

"The LGBT community had a difficult week, and we decided it was time for the gloves to come off," Arieli added.

Sunday's protests were announced last Wednesday by Agudah – Israel's umbrella organization for the LGBTQ community – shortly after the Knesset pbaded a surrogacy law that extended eligibility to single women, but not to men.

Netanyahu had initially voiced support for the addition of a clause to the legislation that would extend gestation rights for same-bad couples, but voted at the last minute against him, apparently to appease the members ultra-orthodox government who oppose it. gay men have the right to father children through surrogacy.

Channel 10 reported at the time that in exchange for Netanyahu's vote, the Haredi parties agreed to support the Likud-backed Jewish Nation-State Bill, a another controversial piece of legislation that was to be pbaded for its final votes later in the week.

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