An upcoming minister of Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government has created a stir in the country after she suggested that doctors should be allowed not to give treatment to LGBTQ patients on religious grounds.
Orit Strook, of the Religious Zionist party, made the remarks on Sunday saying that her party is drafting legislation that could potentially allow doctors to refuse treatment to LGBTQ people.
She further stated that a doctor could refuse care to a patient if doing so violates his religious beliefs “as long as there are enough other doctors who can give this service”, reports the Times of Israel newspaper.
The bill she was referring to is part of a wider proposed legislation to allow businesses or private enterprises to refuse service on the grounds of religious conscience.
Kan state broadcaster reported that Netanyahu’s Likud party and Religious Zionism have a deal as part of their coalition government that they will pass the new legislation once they assume full control of the office.
However, Netanyahu denied that the coalition deal provided for such a law, and condemned his colleague’s words.
“MK Orit Strock’s words are unacceptable to me and my colleagues in Likud. The coalition agreements do not allow for discrimination against LGBT people or for harming the right of any citizen in Israel to receive service. Likud will guarantee that there will be no harm to LGBT people or any Israeli citizen,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog, too, weighed in to condemn the anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, saying, “The racist pronouncements of recent days against the LGBTQ community and other sectors of the public make me extremely worried and concerned.”
The president added that such rhetoric undermined Israeli “democratic and moral values”.
(With inputs from agencies)
