Yisrael Beytenu MK Anastasia Michaeli charged Channel 10 with broadcasting programming that encourages children to be homosexuals, Army Radio reported on Thursday.

Speaking in a closed session of the Knesset Committee on the Status of Women on Wednesday, Michaeli said, "unfortunately, when I turn on Channel 10, I see so-called entertainment shows showing how nice it is to be gay." She added: "We need to find out why Channel 10 has a right to broadcast this content that my children see, and hear that it´s fun and nice to put on make up and dress up in skirts."

Michaeli also claimed that there was a direct correlation between sexual abuse and homosexuality. "I think that most homosexuals are people that experience very difficult sexual abuse from a very young age. In the end they commit suicide when they are 40."

Yisrael Beytenu distanced itself from Michaeli´s comments, stating that they were "her own personal opinions and they don´t represent the opinions of the party."

Channel 10 responded that it "supports equal rights for all and showing fair depictions of all groups in society."

The Labor Party´s gay faction accused Michaeli of using her status as an MK to voice "hateful remarks."

Meretz´s gay faction called Michaeli´s comments "strange and disconnected from reality." The faction called on Michaeli to work towards equality for Israel´s gay community. (© 1995-2011, The Jerusalem Post 06/15/12)