Thousands March after Brutal Stabbing of Gay 16 Year-Old Youth

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL — (07-28-19) — After last Friday’s stabbing attack on a gay 16 year-old boy outside of a LGBT youth hostel in Tel Aviv, Israelis took to the streets to march for LGBTQ lives.

The outrage came when word leaked out that the gay 16 year-old youth was stabbed by his own brother. How he was pressured from his family to be more religious and conservative.

The marchers demanded justice for the young victim while marching under the banner of “Fighting For Our Lives”. With right wing governments tightening their grips around the world in so called democracies, LGBTQ people are under threat more than they have ever been before.

The Israeli LGBTQ+ Youth Organization (IGY) called the stabbing a hate crime.

Arab-Israeli trans-activist Lila Blilat told JPOST about her own experiences, which included “conversion therapies” by conservative religious leaders at which point, she escaped to Tel Aviv.

“I feel bad and sad that even in the place I escaped to… we still have to fight to be protected,” said Blilat. “Tel Aviv will not prevent the next child being hurt. Today I shout: enough! We’re not talking targets or punching bags!” said Blilat.

LGBTQ rights activist and deputy-mayor of Tel-Aviv Hen Ariely, said…“a society that sees us as people who need to be “converted” doesn’t accept the plain fact that we are what we are and nothing can change that.” said Ariely.

The 16 year-old youth was taken to Ichilov hospital in serious condition. He is suffering from multiple stab wounds to his chest and leg. He underwent surgery and was said to be in stable but serious condition.

Article by: Paul Goldberg, Staff Writer