A MASSIVE hunt was under way in Tel Aviv after Saturday night’s attack on a gay and lesbian centre left two people dead and a dozen wounded.
A lone gunman, dressed in black and wearing a ski mask, entered the party for teenage gays, held every Saturday night at the centre, and opened fire before fleeing.
Dozens of police officers were put on the case, but a strict gag order was imposed on details of the investigation.
Gays and lesbians, many in a state of shock, gathered on the streets of Tel Aviv after the shooting. Yesterday hundreds participated in a spontaneous protest vigil took to condemn homophobia, particularly amongst religious elements.
Tel Aviv has a large gay community which thrives in a generally liberal atmosphere. Tens of thousands participate in the city’s annual gay pride march and the city recently started promoting itself as a destination for international gay tourism.
There have been attacks on gays in Israel in the past, but this was the first case of a hate attack directed against homosexuals resulting in fatalities. In 2005 three participants in the Jerusalem gay pride march were stabbed and wounded by an ultra-orthodox protester.
President Shimon Peres condemned the shooting as “the kind of murder that an enlightened and cultured people cannot accept”.
The prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu , said: “I want to say to the citizens of Israel – we are a democratic and tolerant country and we must respect every person as he is.”
Some politicians linked the attack to years of anti-gay rhetoric from orthodox rabbis. Israel’s two chief rabbis reacted by issuing a statement expressing shock and outrage, describing the shooting as “an unthinkable, vile crime”.