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New Clues in Tel Aviv Youth Gay Center Murders

6-22-10 Melanie Nathan

This month, Tel Aviv annual Gay Pride drew one of the biggest crowds in its history, in solidarity almost one year after an unidentified gunman opened fire at an LGBT youth counseling center in the city, killing two and wounding 11.

The march started with a minute of silence to honor the two people who died and the eleven injured at the LGBT community center shooting. The attack at the gay youth center in August 2009 is considered the most lethal homophobic assault in Israel’s history, reports IANS.

According to YNet News, speakers at the start of the march included Ayala Katz, mother of Nir Katz, a 26-year-old counselor killed in the attack.

Days after the Parade, Police announced the discovery of a clue at the scene, sent to the lab and the results indicated a pool of suspects, all of whom could be called in for questioning and investigation, reports Irsaeli News YNET,

The investigation of the attack was placed under a gag order since its occurrence. The lab tests uncovered an factor shared by thousands of Israelis. Although no one is saying what was discovered at the scene or what the element can be, possibilities besides specific illness, could include genetic links to the Kohan, a the most rare of the twelve Jewish tribes.

Police mapped out the population, filtering out one thousand people with whom they intend to speak personally and test.

In the meantime, the investigating team will continue probing all other leads.

While some Israelis have been skeptical about the police work in the case, Police Commissioner Dudi Cohen, who receives updates on all findings personally, said he would spare no resource to solve the case, which he defined as one of the worst attacks Israel had seen.

LGR will remain on top of developments as they emerge.

A few months ago we received a visit here in Marin County at Congregation Rodef Sholom from a group of teens who had been at the center at the time. The mayhem in the wake of the shootings and bloodied body of their dying friends and counselor will forever hurt these youg people featured in my picture (names witheheld) that so momentous that no one in the LGBT community will find peace until the murderer is caught and punished.

Picture taken at Rodef Sholom of two Tel Aviv Youth Center Participants witness to Mayhem, as part of Video Interview By Melanie Nathan © 2010.

Melanie Nathan

nathan@privatecourts.com