Israel’s Prime Minister Yair Lapid took part in an event marking the 20th anniversary of the founding of LGBT youth organization Israel Gay Youth-Zamkuwire
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Israel’s Prime Minister Yair Lapid took part in an event marking the 20th anniversary of the founding of LGBT youth organization Israel Gay Youth (IGY) Saturday night at the Tel Aviv Opera House.
By doing so, Lapid became the first sitting prime minister to attend an official event held by the LGBT community, with IGY’s CEO noting, “This is how history is made – through actions.”
Speaking at the event, Lapid expressed his support for the legalization of same-sex marriage in Israel, which he called “an important and just social revolution,” noting the reform is supported by 78 percent of Israelis.
“The vast majority of the people of Israel, in the south, center and north, the voters of most of the parties, Yesh Atid voters and Likud voters and even a large portion of the religious, agree with the following principle: everyone has the fundamental right to be a parent and to start a family,” Lapid stated, citing a 2019 poll.
“We owe it to Shira Banki,” he continued, referring to a young woman murdered by a Jewish extremist during a Jerusalem Pride parade in 2015.
“We owe it to every boy or girl who is afraid and feels compelled to hide a terrible secret. We must hug them and tell them that we are with them,” he added.
IGY, created 20 years ago, aims to support young people from the LGBT community. The NGO operates in 22 Israeli cities and towns with support from the Education Ministry.
