The Israeli legislature has elected Amir Ohana as its first out gay speaker as a number of anti-LGBTQ+ politicians are made cabinet members. Ohana, a close ally of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was nominated as speaker of the Knesset in a decisive vote of 63-5 on Thursday. Addressing the legislature, Ohana said: “I pledge to do my best to be worthy of the trust you put in me”. He also promised that the incoming government would not infringe on LGBTQ+ rights, saying: “This Knesset, under the leadership of this speaker, won’t hurt them or any other family, period.”