NEWS REPORT
Associated Press - Ian Deitch, Writer - 08/01/09 9:21PM EDT

Israeli police say a gunman entered a youth club for gay teens in central Tel Aviv on Saturday night and sprayed the interior with automatic rifle fire, killing three people and injuring 11.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said it was "most likely a criminal attack and not a terror attack." Tel Aviv has been a target for Palestinian militants in the past.

He said the gunman burst into the basement of the Tel Aviv Gay and Lesbian Association and opened fire on a support group for gay teenagers.

Police are searching the area for the gunman, who fled the scene, he said. Roadblocks were set up.

Rescue services said six of the wounded were badly hurt.

"This was a hate crime, a premeditated attack," witness Yaniv Weisman told Channel 10 TV. He said Cafe Noir, the basement club, was popular with youth.

"Those hurt were very young," he said.

Openly gay Knesset lawmaker Nitzan Horowitz said it was "without a doubt the biggest ever attack on the Israeli gay community, we are all in shock."

Witnesses told Israeli media that the gunman was dressed all in black, and described the scene as a "bloodbath."

END OF NEWS RELEASE

I was truly saddened to see this news release come over the wire. An isolated act of hate in a country scarred by years of turmoil over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel is a society with a heightened sense of security. For this act to happen here is an insult to the goals of Israel as a Nation and Judaism itslef.

But what is worse is that it could have happened anywhere. This was not a terrorist attack, it was an act of ignorant bigotry. How many anti-gay bigots have you crossed paths with in the struggle we term life. They are everywhere.

How can we fight this? We can't post armed quards and do strip searches and full body cavity searches at the doorway, although I'm sure that might sound appealing to some of you. It is only through education that we can combat ignorance. Seek out and support Gay, Lesbian & Transgender community groups in your area and support their work. Ask friends who are comfortable with you being gay to also support them.

The alternative is to build a wall of protection around us. To do so will only trade our old closet of denial for a prison of fear.

Thoughts and prayers to the victims of this horrible crime.

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