Rome Pride bars Jewish LGBT group from parade over Gaza stance

ROME, May 28 (Reuters) - Rome Pride ‌has barred Italy's ​only ​Jewish LGBT group from joining its annual parade, saying Keshet Italia had failed to clearly condemn Israel's actions in Gaza as genocide, drawing ‌swift condemnation from Jewish organisations.

In a statement issued after meeting representatives of ⁠Keshet Italia and Keshet Europe, Rome Pride said "the conditions" did not exist for the groups to enter ‌a float into the June ‌20 event.

"Pride is an open and free demonstration," the organisers said, adding that anyone who shared the movement's founding values could join the march. But they ​said having a float meant signing up to Rome Pride's political platform.

"Our position on the ongoing genocide in Gaza by the State of Israel is clear," the ⁠statement said.

Rome Pride said it distinguished between Israel's government and the Jewish community, including Jewish LGBTQ+ people, and ​would never hold the latter responsible for what it called war crimes by a "genocidal government".

However, it said Keshet Italia bore responsibility for ​not distancing itself from the "ongoing genocide in Gaza" ‌and for making what Pride organisers described as an unacceptable lexical distinction in a recent statement.

United Nations experts have accused Israel of ⁠carrying out "genocidal acts" against Palestinians in the conflict in Gaza, which began after Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.

Israel has repeatedly dismissed such accusations.

NO 'IDEOLOGICAL TEST' FOR JEWISH ⁠LGBT GROUPS

Keshet Italia protested against its exclusion.

"Roma Pride has dropped the mask," the group said. "With an ​official communique, it admits it excluded us because we did not pass their 'political exam'."

The European Jewish Congress also criticised the move, saying the decision risked making the participation of Jewish associations conditional ‌on accepting specific narratives.

"No one should be subjected to an ideological test in order to participate in a movement founded on ‌inclusion, dignity and equal rights," the EJC said.

Gay Pride events are seen as celebrations by ⁠LGBTQ+ communities that promote visibility, equality ‌and acceptance. However, Rome ​Pride said its political platform was not "a buffet" from which participants could pick and choose.

(Reporting by Crispian Balmer, editing by Alvise Armellini and ‌Toby Chopra)

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