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Jerusalem pot activists preach for peace

Author: Jonty Skrufff
Friday, October 20, 2006

Israel’s Green Leaf Party (Aleh Yarok) is to host a joint conference for Israelis and Palestinians to discuss marijuana legalisation at a special event in Jerusalem next week (October 25).

Aleh Yarok head Ohad Shem-Tov suggested the day of presentations from activists in both communities plus medical marijuana guru Professor Dr. Lester could have a positive impact far beyond just their principle goal of pot legalisation.

“First and foremost we want to see peace in the region and peace begins with a shared interest to advance certain goals," he told the Jerusalem Post.

"Arab Israeli families are facing more and more problems with drug addictions in the family.  They are beginning to feel that changing the laws might make the situation better," he suggested.

Much more ominously for Jerusalem, thousands of orthodox Jews protested this week about the Supreme Court’s decision to allow Gay Pride to go ahead on November 11 with notorious zealot Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch of the Eda Haredit rabbinic court telling marchers to protest against the ‘terrible abomination parade’.

“We did not succeed in Lebanon due to the obscenity and promiscuity in the Holy Land,” the Rabbi told the marchers, “There is no greater disturbance than the disgraceful parade.” (ynetnews)

The march was previously cancelled on August 11 as the Lebanon War raged, soon after religious fundamentalists issued horrific threats of violence against marchers. Leaflets advising people how to make ‘schlissel specials’ (Molotov cocktails) schlissel sticks (nail-studded sticks) and rock-filled socks were circulated in July offering a $4,500 rewards for anyone ‘killing a sodomite’, while fundamentalist religious leaders issued blood-curdling threats.

"I promise there's going to be bloodshed, not just on that day, but for months afterwards,” New York rabbi, Yehuda Levin of the Rabbinical Alliance of America said in July at a joint meeting of Muslim, Jewish and Christian clerics.  "In America, we are outraged and disgusted over this event.”

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