Meanwhile, in other news: Uri Lupolianski, the mayor of Jerusalem, found himself stoned while visiting an ultra-orthodox neighborhood. For those of you not paying attention, there's been a fierce fight over Friday's gay pride parade in the city. The more conservative religious types aren't so keen on the idea and are promising violence if the parade goes ahead. Even though Lupolianski spoke out against the parade, many people still hold him responsible for what they see as an affront to their holy city. Ynet News reports:

Despite the fact that Lupolianski has called out against holding the parade in the city, many in the haredi community hold him directly responsible.

Word spread quickly of the “Zionist” mayor’s visit to the heart of Me’a Shearim, prompting dozens of haredim to make their way to the hall and stone the structure.

Meanwhile, rioting continues to crop up around the city and police are preparing for what will undoubtedly be a traumatic day on Friday.

Don't worry, though, the Muslims and the Jews are still united against the homos.

From one religion to the next here at Queerty.

A group of ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel held a rally yesterday protesting Jerusalem's Gay Pride Parade, the seemingly cursed international gay event. After a bitter fight for permits, the event had to be rescheduled after the war between Israel and Lebanon broke out: a war the homo-haters insist resulted from World Pride itself. Ynet News reports:

“The war in the north broke out as soon as the parade was announced,” a Mea Shearim resident [said]...“Rabbis are fearful of another war,” the haredi said, adding that a special request has been forwarded to Diaspora Jews “so they too would protest and act for the preservation of Jerusalem’s sanctity.”

Um, we're not military experts here, but we don't think the war started because of the homos. We attribute it more to kidnapped soldiers and the fact that Hezbollah thinks Israel's an imperialist colonizer. But, that's just us.

Anyway, to combat the homo-influx, detractors are organizing an even larger protest to coincide with the November 10th celebration.

The parade falls on the day after the 16th anniversary of the murder of Rabbi Meir Kahane, and his followers, who are expected visit his grave on the Mount of Olives on the day the parade is scheduled to take place, said they would ‘take advantage of the memorial ceremony for Kahane to fight the gay parade.’

While only words were lobbed at yesterday's rally, many fear that if the ultra-Orthodox and the ultra-Gay come together, there'll be more than just a shouting match.

We're fairly anti-violent folk here at Queerty, but we can't help get a little excited over the prospect of a gay v. Jew fight. Can you imagine? The queers would try to strangle the Jews with boas, while the Jews would whip them with their tallits.

We've got our money on the fags. The Jews may be the chosen ones, but you know those homos can throw down like whoa.

Another HIV mystery solved: Needs essential human protein. [Medical News Today]

Jerusalem Gays Taking Cops to Court For Permit. [365 Gay]

Navratilova ends career on a high note: wins Grand Slam. [The Advocate]

Pamela Strother stepping down as head of National Gay and Lesbian Journalist Association. [NGLJA.org]

NY Attorney General Candidate Sean Patrick Maloney has faith. [The New York Blade]

Nigerian Activists Fear New Bill Will Further Discrimination. [The Tide News]

We're not sure what organizers were expecting when they decided to hold World Pride in the middle of the Holy Land, but there has been a rare moment of unity between the Christian, Muslim, and Jewish faiths in Israel as they cry "foul" together over the event. Despite the fact that only one quarter of the city of Jerusalem wants World Pride held in their city and that all these conservative religious leaders are having aneurysms over it, plans are going forward for the celebration, which should draw hundreds of thousands of queers from all over the world to the embattled region for a few days of gay revelry.

In general we think that spreading gayness to the Middle East will have a positive effect on the general global understanding. For example, if 500,000 gays come and party in Jerusalem for a few days and the city doesn't get swallowed into the sea or smote by the Hand of God, maybe the hysteria will lessen ever so slightly. Or are we being foolish optimists? Our main concern is that things don't turn violent, and we hope the Jerusalem police are prepared for the possibility will protect the safety of their visitors.

Christian leaders slam gay parade [Jerusalem Post]