Interior Minister Gideon Sa'ar leveled harsh criticism at Beit Shemesh Mayor Moshe Abutbul Tuesday, over remarks the latter had made against the gay population in his city. Sa'ar called the remarks outrageous and deplorable and urged mayors nationwide to remember the responsibility their position as public officials entails. In an interview with Channel 10, which aired on Friday, Abutbul was asked about the gay community in Beit Shemesh, a city that has grown more religious in the past few years. "There are no gays in my city, thank God. The city is sacred and pure," Abutbul said, adding that "the Health Ministry or the police should take care of them [gays]." Speaking at a conference of newly elected mayors held at Kibbutz Maaleh Hahamishah in central Israel, Sa'ar said: "As mayors you are public leaders. You were elected by the public directly and once you are in office you serve your community as a whole -- those who elected you and those who didn't. This means you have to exercise responsibility in your remarks as well as in your actions." Sa'ar stressed that "I condemn the statements made by the mayor of Beit Shemesh in the clearest and strongest possible terms. What he said was dark and outrageous. It is hard to believe anyone would even think to say such things nowadays." He further quoted a passage from the Mishnah: "Scholars, be cautious in your words, for you may be exiled and banished to a place of heresy, and the disciples who follow you there may drink and die, and the Name of Heaven will be desecrated," (Ethics of Our Fathers 1:11) . Following Friday's broadcast, Shai Doytsh, who serves as chairman of the Aguda, the association of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered in Israel, filed a police complaint against Abutbul, saying his remarks constitute incitement against gays in Israel. In a letter to the Interior Ministry, the association further urges Sa'ar to initiate disciplinary action against Abutbul: "The mayor of Beit Shemesh has exhibited conduct unbecoming a public official. The Interior Ministry must pursue disciplinary action against him that would see his immediate impeachment," the letter said. Meanwhile, Abutbul's remarks were also condemned by several Jewish groups, including the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and the Anti-Defamation League. Jewish Federation of Greater Washington CEO Steven Rakitt delivered a letter to Abutbul, saying the federation was appalled by his "hurtful, offensive and false" remarks and demanding that he retracts them. Washington's Jewish community has a sister-city agreement with Beit Shemesh and Rakitt stressed that the federation welcomes people of all backgrounds, sexual orientations and religious beliefs. "Expressions of intolerance have no place in Israeli public discourse, especially coming from elected officials," Abraham Foxman, director of the Anti-Defamation League, said in a statement on Tuesday. "We strongly condemn the insensitive and hurtful comments made by Beit Shemesh's mayor about his city's LGBT population." Foxman also urged Abutbul to retract his remarks and apologize. Abutbul released a statement on Tuesday saying, "My remarks in the Channel 10 interview were taken out of context and addressed the issue of pedophilia and pedophiles -- an obscene phenomenon denounced by Israeli society. I head a city which is home to many and diverse communities and I recognize each and every one of them. I see myself as everyone's mayor. I regret that local political elements that cannot accept the voters' decision are trying to foster unrest." Recent Beit Shemesh municipal elections were marred by allegations of voter fraud, which are being investigated by the police. Supporters of Eli Cohen, Abutbul's main challenger in the mayoral race, have called for new elections to be held.
