responded inattentively". In July 2015, after the Jerusalem LGBT pride stabbing, Smotrich called it a "beast parade", and refused to retract his homophobic remarks. In August 2015, Smotrich accused LGBT organizations of controlling the media, claiming they use their control to gain public sympathy and silence those who share his conservative views. An Israeli NGO, Ometz, filed a complaint with the Knesset Ethics Committee to intervene and investigate Smotrich's comments. On 23 February 2016, the Knesset marked the first LGBT rights day, but on 24 February 2016, the parties that form the governing coalition, Likud, United Torah Judaism, Shas, Kulanu, and the Jewish Home, supported by opposition members, defeated bills to recognize bereaved widowers, ban conversion therapy, recognize same-sex marriage, and train health professionals to deal with gender and sexual orientation issues. Two days before the April 2019 legislative election, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hosted a group of representatives of the LGBT community at the Prime Minister's residence for the first time in 10 years. Although the meeting was described as "warm" and "good", representatives of the LGBT community were disappointed after the meeting ended with the refusal of Netanyahu to make promises to advance pro-LGBT legislation due to the pressure of right-wing religious and ultra-Orthodox coalition parties. In July 2019, interim Education Minister Rafi Peretz attracted criticism from when he endorsed conversion therapy. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected Peretz's comments as unacceptable, saying that they "do not represent [his] government's position" and that "[he] made it clear to him that the Israeli educational system will continue to accept all Jewish children whoever they are and without any difference based on sexual orientation." Thousands of Israeli teachers signed a petition demanding his resignation, and more than a thousand people protested his comments in Tel Aviv and in Peretz's hometown, calling for his dismissal. Days layer, Peretz backtracked from his comments, labelling conversion therapy "inappropriate", but added that "individuals with a homosexual orientation have the right to receive professional help". In June 2019, Jerusalem city inspectors took down a Pride banner hung by the US embassy for LGBTQ Pride Month. Deputy mayor Arieh King had ordered the removal. Society Living conditions Israel has an active LGBT community, with well attended annual gay pride festivals, held in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem since 1998. Pride events are also held regularly in Haifa, Petah Tikva, Hadera, Ra'anana, Eilat, and Rishon LeZion. In 2016, the