"It's not natural, not normal. The Torah called it an abomination and we certainly need to find more considered ways of fighting it.…I believe that this phenomenon will wane and disappear, because most of the public is disgusted by it and detest it."
Above: Rabbi Shlomo Amar
Sefardi Chief Rabbi Of Jerusalem Calls Homosexuality An “Abomination” That Must Be Fought
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
The Sefardi haredi Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem Shlomo Amar, who is a former Sefardi Chief Rabbi of Israel, lashed out at Israel’s LGBT community during an interview with the haredi news website Behadrei Haredim, Ha’aretz reported.
"The level of shame has been breached and trampled these days. There's almost nothing left. And since then, we've seen impudence and brazenness which previously no one would have even thought of. People do them publicly and we need to find ways of dealing with it,” Amar said.
"When all is said and done, Jerusalem is in a relatively good situation [regarding homosexuality] compared to other cities in Israel [where it is more open and more accepted]…They're trying to legitimize [homosexuality] in the legislature and the courts, but it's not natural, not normal. The Torah called it an abomination and we certainly need to find more considered ways of fighting it,” Amar claimed. He also said that he “believe[s] that this phenomenon will wane and disappear, because most of the public is disgusted by it and detest it."
His remarks were made only three months after a haredi Jew stabbed six people at Jerusalem’s Gay Pride Parade and murdered one, a 16-year-old girl, Shira Banki
Amar condemned the murder – but only because of the problems it has caused the haredi community.
"Sometimes, when we fight with force, we achieve the opposite of what we intended, like the one who committed that unthinkable act [i.e., the murder]. He's not a court and he doesn't know what is forbidden and there is no justification for what he did. It was a terrible act of blood-letting and nothing can justify it. He did unimaginable damage to all haredi Jews, who now have to see themselves in that act. Action requires a lot of forethought,” Amar said.