A day after marking its first ever LGBT rights day, the Knesset shot down six bills aimed at improving the gay community's status. Several opposition members joined the coalition in voting against the bills.

Two coalition MKs purporting to advance gay rights lent a hand to thwarting the bills. MK Amir Ohana (Likud), the first openly gay right-wing lawmaker, left the plenum without voting, while MK Sharren Haskel (Likud), head of the LGBT Knesset caucus, voted against the bills. The bills, proposed by opposition members only, addressed a variety of gay issues and needs.

Ohana said he has fought prejudices against gay people all his life and intends to continue doing so in the future. Nonetheless, he refrained from supporting the bills for gay rights "because the result wouldn't have been any different. None of the proposals fell because it was one vote short." Read More via Haaretz