Netanyahu rebukes far-right ally for anti-LGBTQ comments

Members of the LGBTQ community serve openly in Israel's military and parliament, and many popular artists and entertainers as well as several former government ministers are openly gay

Designated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a rare rebuke of his new coalition allies on Sunday for saying they would advance laws allowing discrimination against LGBTQ people, pledging there would be no harm to their rights by his upcoming government.

Mr. Netanyahu is set to form the most ultranationalist and religious government in Israel's history between his Likud movement and several openly anti-LGBTQ parties. This has raised fears among Israel's LGBTQ community that the new government, expected to take office in the coming week, will roll back gains made for LGBTQ rights in Israel in recent years.

Orit Struck, a Religious Zionist member of the Knesset, Israel's parliament, said her party seeks a change to the country's anti-discrimination law that would include permitting people to avoid acts that go against their religious beliefs — including discriminating against LGBTQ people in hospitals.

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Ms. Struck said in an interview on Sunday with Kan public radio that “so long as there are enough other doctors to provide care”, religious healthcare providers should be able refuse to treat LGBTQ patients.

Simcha Rotman, another member of the party, said that private business owners, such as hotel operators, should be allowed to refuse service to LGBTQ “if it harms their religious feelings.”

Mr. Netanyahu said that Ms. Struck's remarks “are unacceptable to me and to members of Likud,” and that the coalition agreement “does not allow discrimination against LGBTQ or harming their right to receive services like all other Israeli citizens”.