Uncertainty remains as vote on conversion-therapy bill nears
The legislation, proposed by Meretz leader Nitzan Horowitz, would remove the license of a psychologist who uses conversion therapy, fine them and send them to jail for repeat offenses.
By TZVI JOFFRELGBT flag on Jerusalem's King George Street, July 31, 2018(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
The Ministerial Committee on Legislation will vote on a bill to ban psychologists from practicing conversion therapy in Israel on Wednesday, as uncertainty remains concerning who will support or oppose it.The legislation, proposed by Meretz leader Nitzan Horowitz, would take away the license of psychologists who uses conversion therapy, fine them and send them to jail for repeat offenses.Last week, Blue and White began considering allowing MKs to vote as they wished on the bill, despite the government coalition’s decision to oppose the bill, according to Walla news. The decision to consider the option was reportedly made due to a number of disagreements with the Likud party.Ohad Hizki, director-general of the Aguda – The Association for LGBTQ Equality in Israel, said the upcoming vote a “moment of truth for Blue and White and the Likud,” according to Walla.“We call on members of Blue and White, the Likud and the Joint List, Don’t sacrifice the lives and health of youths because of petty politics,” he said.Earlier this month, Coalition Chairman Miki Zohar (Likud) threatened punitive sanctions against three gay MKs in the coalition who voted for a bill that would have allowed male gay couples to adopt children from surrogate mothers in Israel. The coalition opposed the bill.Similar attempts to ban conversion therapy in Israel have failed in the past.In a Knesset discussion on the bill in June, Horowitz described how a number of people who had gone through conversion therapy had described their experiences to the Knesset Education Committee, emphasizing the harm and danger caused by such “treatments.”“This subject is beyond the arguments that we’re used to holding here of for and against, against and for,” said Horowitz, who added that he had received offers to debate the issue. “I said this is not an idea of for or against; this is an idea of saving lives. These are subjects that are connected first and foremost to minors going through abuse, and this thing needs to be stopped by the law.”The Israel Psychological Association has spoken out against conversion therapy.“The considered treatments were not found to be helpful, and they could cause real damage,” the Israel Psychological Association said in a paper quoted by Horowitz. “There is no place for any treatments that is based on the assumption that homosexuality is a disease or disorder requiring treatment, or for any treatments that places for itself the goal of changing sexual orientation.”Conversion therapy could lead to “mental damage, including anxiety, depression and suicide,” the association said. “Other possible damage includes isolation and social withdrawal, difficulty making intimate and sexual connections, avoiding social connections, harm to religious belief, anger and distancing toward parents.”A number of organizations provide conversion therapy in Israel, with both certified professionals and uncertified individuals providing the therapy. Former education minister Rafi Peretz last year said he had “done conversion therapy,” without specifying what he meant.Gil Hoffman contributed to this report.
