From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Global LGBTQ rights group suspends Israeli org, apologizes for even considering offer to host confab in Tel Aviv
A major international LGBTQ rights group has dismissed out of hand a motion by an Israeli member organization to host its World Conference in Tel Aviv, proceeding to suspend the Israeli organization.
ILGA World, in a statement, apologizes for even considering bringing for a vote the proposal by Aguda, the umbrella organization for the LGBTQ community in Israel.
Ahead of an upcoming ILGA World Conference in Cape Town, South Africa, the group says it received “significant and legitimate disconcert regarding a member organisation bidding to host the World Conference in Tel Aviv, Israel in 2026 or 2027.
“In response to these multiple concerns, the ILGA World Board held an emergency meeting and unanimously decided to remove the bid from The Aguda from consideration,” it says, claiming that this is to “ensure we fully uphold universal respect for human rights, equal representation, and the elimination of barriers to participation for all members – including in our conferences.”
The bid “will not go forward and will not be put to a vote” as it “was found in violation of ILGA World’s aims and objectives set out in our Constitution,” the statement continues.
“The ILGA World Board is also reviewing The Aguda’s compliance with our Constitution and has decided to suspend the organisation from our membership to allow for that to happen,” it says.
“ILGA World apologises. We know that seeing the Tel Aviv bid taken into consideration caused anger and harm to our communities… We recognise the historical experience with apartheid and colonialism in South Africa: even the possibility of voting on such a bid in their home country would have been at odds with the unequivocal solidarity for the Palestinian people.”
Aguda responds, according to Hebrew media, that it is “deeply disappointed by the fact that ILGA chose to boycott those who work for LGBTQ rights and for a more just society. The Aguda has been working for over 50 years to aid the LGBTQ community and preserve all human rights, including helping LGBTQ people from the Arab community and Palestinian asylum seekers persecuted over their sexual and gender identity.”
A Wider Bridge, a pro-Israel US LGBTQ rights organization, slams ILGA’s decision as “outrageous and unacceptable.”
“By singling out Israel and Israeli LGBTQ people for opprobrium, ILGA violates its fundamental principles,” it says. “We urge ILGA World to withdraw its discriminatory decision immediately.”
