US LGBTQ group backtracks, will hold event with Israeli leaders

Yesterday there was this:
https://www.washingtonblade.com/2016/01/18/lgbt-group-cancels-conference-reception-with-israeli-activists/

The National LGBTQ Task Force has cancelled a reception at its upcoming conference that was to have featured two advocates from Israel.

Sarah Kala-Meir and Tom Canning of Jerusalem Open House for Pride and Tolerance were scheduled to speak at the reception that was to have taken place at the Creating Change Conference in Chicago on Friday.

A Wider Bridge, an organization that describes its mission as building “LGBTQ connections with Israel,” sponsored the reception.

Dean Spade, founder of the Sylvia Rivera Law Project, an organization that serves transgender people and others who are gender non-conforming, in a Jan. 15 blog post criticized the National LGBTQ Task Force over the reception.

Spade, who is also an associate professor at the Seattle University School of Law, described A Wider Bridge as “an Israel advocacy organization.” Spade also accused the organization of “pinkwashing,” promoting the country’s LGBT rights record in an attempt to deflect attention away from its treatment of the Palestinians.

[and blah blah blah]

But fortunately, today there was this:

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/National-LGBTQ-Task-Force-cancels-event-with-Israeli-gay-leaders-442029

The National LGBTQ Task Force, a US umbrella organization, announced Tuesday it was reversing an earlier decision to cancel an event hosted by A Wider Bridge, an NGO that seeks to build ties between the US and Israeli gay communities.

“Having taken in a range of information and seeing what has happened over the last couple of days, I have decided to reverse our decision to cancel the ‘Beyond the Bridge’ reception hosted by A Wider Bridge with guest speakers from the Jerusalem Open House,” said Rea Carey, executive director of the National LGBTQ Task Force, in a statement Tuesday.

“It is our belief that when faced with choices, we should move towards our core value of inclusion and opportunities for constructive dialogue and canceling the reception was a mistake.”