Aguda CEO Yael Sinai Biblash described ILGA World’s decision to reinstate her organization as an “important step,” but criticized the timeline for when it will take effect. (Photo by Lior Horesh)
The global advocacy group’s board last fall voted unanimously to suspend the Aguda, the Association for LGBTQ+ Equality in Israel, after it withdrew its bid to host the 2026/27 ILGA World Conference. ILGA World in a May 1 statement said the Aguda’s reinstatement will take effect on Oct. 27, 2025, a year after the suspension began.
“The decision, made by a majority vote, follows an investigation by ILGA World’s Disputes Resolution Committee, composed of elected board members,” reads the statement. “The committee assessed the complaints it received on whether the Aguda aligned with ILGA World’s constitutional principles.”
The statement notes that while the complaint against the Aguda “was deemed substantive — particularly due to the Aguda’s reluctance to condemn war crimes plausibly amounting to genocide in Gaza, the committee acknowledged that ‘the Aguda actively continues to provide support to LGBTI communities.’”
“The ILGA World board took into account that requiring member organizations to take a public stance on their government positions and actions, and holding them accountable for not doing so, would create a precedent that could be harmful to our membership in many countries,” it adds.
The statement further notes the ILGA World board’s decision “is not an endorsement of the Aguda’s position, actions, or silence on the war in Gaza.”
The decision to suspend the Aguda took place less than a month after Israel marked the first anniversary of Oct. 7.
Hamas militants on Oct. 7, 2023, killed roughly 1,200 people, including upwards of 360 people at the Nova Music Festival, when they launched a surprise attack against southern Israel.
The Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry says Israeli forces have killed tens of thousands of people in the enclave since Oct. 7. Fifty-nine hostages who were kidnapped in Israel on that day remain in the Gaza Strip.
Aguda CEO Yael Sinai Biblesh stated:
“ILGA’s decision to reinstate the Aguda is an important step that recognizes our longstanding contribution to advancing LGBTQ+ rights in Israel,” said Aguda CEO Yael Sinai Biblesh in a statement her organization sent to the Washington Blade May 5. “However, we regret that the suspension was not lifted immediately and instead extended until October.
“We chose to fight for our voice in spaces where the discourse is difficult and complex, because we believe that’s exactly where our presence is most needed — to enable nuanced and respectful conversations and discussions,” she added. “The Aguda will continue to collaborate with organizations around the world in order to defend the rights of all people under the LGBTQ+ umbrella across all sectors in Israel — both Arab and Jewish, even in the most challenging times.”
ILGA Asia issued a statement May 5 in which it said it disagrees with the decision to reinstate the Aguda.
“While we acknowledge the decision of the ILGA World board, we note that the motion to lift the suspension was not adopted unanimously,” said the ILGA Asia Executive Board. “Following consultations with the ILGA Asia Executive Board, our representatives on the ILGA World board did not support the motion. Our decision was guided by deep conscience, regional accountability, and unyielding commitment to justice, dignity, and solidarity.”
ILGA Asia made the following points.
We fully recognize the process undertaken by ILGA World’s Disputes Resolution Committee. However, we believe that the following factors were not adequately addressed:
•The significant harm and internal division caused by the Aguda’s 2024 bid to host the World Conference in Israel, at a time of escalating genocide and humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza;
•The lack of a public stance from The Aguda on war crimes and human rights violations in Gaza, which we view as inconsistent with the universality of human rights espoused by ILGA;
•The presence of content glorifying militarism on their public platforms raises concerns about alignment with ILGA’s principles of peace and nonviolence;
•And the unresolved harm and trauma experienced by many within the ILGA family — particularly Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim members — warranted a longer and more restorative process before reinstatement.
“We acknowledge that the majority of the ILGA World Board justified the decision on the grounds that civil society organizations should not be automatically held accountable for the actions of their governments,” reads the statement. “While this argument holds relevance in many repressive contexts, we respectfully diverge from this rationale in this case, where silence amid atrocity has direct and harmful consequences.”
The ILGA Asia Executive Board’s full statement can be found here.
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