CSD to be responsible - according to right-wing party in Israel - for rising corona numbers in country
A look at the statistics shows: Corona cases are unfortunately on the rise again in Israel, too. The chairman of the Religious Zionist Party Bezalel Smotrich has an explanation for this, which is met with criticism by many people. He blames the CSD, which took place in Tel Aviv a few weeks ago, for the current developments. This is not the first time that the politician has attracted attention with such statements.
Literally, he speaks of "improper behavior" in connection with Christopher Street Day.
Discussions around Prides at Corona times - not only an issue in Israel
In Germany, too, there was a heated debate shortly after Pride in Berlin about the occasions on which demonstrations are allowed and those on which they are not. According to reports, even in the German capital, distance rules and the like were often not observed. This, in turn, prompted many supporters of the Querdenker movement to complain that they were often forbidden to take to the streets.
In Israel, CSD 2021 was also "very well" attended. Around 100,000 people came together to draw attention to their rights. Many - as in Germany - chose not to wear a mask.
Nevertheless, the statements of the chairman of the right-wing party have already been openly criticized by many. Possibly also because it is not the first time that Smotrich has made homophobic statements.
Corona numbers are on the rise again - queers are said to be to blame
Even if there is no scientific evidence to what extent the Pride 2021 in Tel Aviv is responsible for an increase in the number of coronas in the country, it must (unfortunately) be noted that currently also in Israel more people are infected with the coronavirus again - and this despite the fact that the country was considered by many nations (especially with regard to vaccinations) as a role model.
The fact of the increasing infections in the mix with the recently celebrated CSD seems to be accordingly water on the mills of the right-wing party. In Israel, too, people are afraid not only of the next wave, but also of the next lockdown. Hopefully, this fear will not lead to further discrimination against an entire group within society.
A lot of headwind, but (frighteningly) also a lot of approval
The LGBTQ community and its status in Israeli society has changed greatly over time.
The violent attacks on participants of Pride 2015, for example, or the fact that the so-called "sodomy laws" were only abolished in the 1980s remain painful memories. However, the latter had not been enforced for a long time before that.
Since the 1990s, however, the position of queers in Israel has improved continuously. This has led, among other things, to the possibility of registering one's homosexual partnership. Especially in the larger cities, such as Tel Aviv, people are more open and tolerant of LGBTQs than in the countryside. Strictly religious Israelis in particular often still regard homosexuality as a sin, despite all the developments.
It is exactly this ambivalence and the different opinions on the topic that can ultimately be observed in Bezalel Smotrich's Twitter post on his theory around the CSD and the rising corona numbers. It cannot be denied that the statement was not only met with criticism, but also with many likes.
It is currently unclear whether there will be another lockdown in Israel as a result of the current developments.
But Hamilton also supports Vettel in the fight.