Thousands of Chareim protested in Kikar Shabbos Wednesday against the holding of the 2006 Pride Parade in Yerushalayim, with most of them connecting the parade to the recent war in Lebanon.

The parade is scheduled to take place on November 10.

The parade was canceled due to the war, but pride rights groups acted to set another date for the parade since the fighting has ceased.

R’ Moshe Sternbuch Shlita, the head of the Eda Chareidissaid during the Hafgannah “We did not succeed in Lebanon due to the obscenity and promiscuity in the Holy Land.�?

He quoted R’ Elchonon Wasserman HY”D, who said during the Holocaust that “Zionism has destroyed the Land of Israel’s sanctity; this is how the troubles of the Shoah began, and this is why we must act to wend the promiscuity.

“There is no greater disturbance than the disgraceful parade,�? R’ Moshe Shterbach Shlita said.

Despite the fact that Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski called out against holding the parade in the city, many in the Charedi community hold him directly responsible.

“The municipality did not protest against the holding of the terrible abomination parade,�? Reb Moshe Sternbuch said.

The Charedim also presented other “divine signs�? against the parade: The parsha for the Shabbos following the parade is Vayera – which tells of the total destruction of Sodom by Hashem.

The Open House organization said the renewed campaign against the gay parade will not deter community members or prevent the parade from taking place.

“The Pride and Tolerance Parade in Jerusalem is a human rights rally aimed at promoting freedom of expression and pluralism,�? the group’s acting chairperson said.

“Therefore we respect the right of those who object to the parade to express their views in a legitimate manner; however, we warn of a renewal of the incitement and violence.�?