MK Anastassia Michaeli (Yisrael Beiteinu ) has angered gay groups and MKs alike by saying "most gay people commit suicide at 40."

On Wednesday, speaking at a meeting of the Knesset Committee for the Advancement of Women, Michaeli accused Channel 10 of encouraging people to become homosexual.

"When I turn on Channel 10 I see entertainment programs supposedly showing how nice it is to be gay," she said in remarks reported on Army Radio. "Why should my children have to hear how fun and nice it is to wear a dress and put on makeup? Why does Channel 10 broadcast such programs?"

Michaeli said she had seen an interview with the mother of a gay man who divorced her husband. "I want to ask, what happened to that boy when he was 3 years old regarding his father and why did they divorce?"

Michaeli then said she thought "most gay people suffered sexual trauma at a young age and committed suicide at 40."

Channel 10, for its part, said it was happy to learn that Michaeli regularly watched the channel with her children. But it said it did not know what she was talking about and that it believed in giving equal expression to all groups.

Yisrael Beiteinu responded that Michaeli's remarks "reflected her own views and not those of the party."

MK Nitzan Horowitz (Meretz ) said Michaeli's remarks stained the entire Knesset and called on the governing coalition, of which Yisrael Beiteinu is a member, to take steps against her.