Tel Aviv Pride brings hundreds of thousands to the streets
The Israeli city is home to the largest LGBT+ pride festival in the Middle East. Mayor Ron Huldai said that the community must continue to press for equal rights, like the right to marry and adopt.
Hundreds of thousands strong
Around 250,000 people took part in Tel Aviv's pride parade on Friday, making it far and away the biggest LGBT+ event in the Middle East. Participants wound their way through downtown Tel Aviv to the beachfront to see 2018 Eurovision Song Contest winner Netta Barzilai perform.
Strides in tolerance
Israel is known for being the most LGBT+ tolerant country in the region. Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the appointment of the country's first openly gay cabinet minister, Justice Minister Amir Ohana.
'We will continue to fight'
"We have all earned the right to raise our voices, to come here and say that after the long journey we have travelled, there is still much to do," Mayor of Tel Aviv Ron Huldai told the crowd. "I promise you that we will not give up and that we will continue to fight until we see full equality in the state of Israel."
Hurdles remain
Despite increasing levels of acceptance, the Israeli LGBT+ community still faces a lot of legal barriers that straight citizens do not face. Same-sex marriage remains banned and gay couples have significant legal hurdles to overcome if they want to adopt children.
Police on the alert
Hundreds of police were on duty on Friday to ward off any possibility of hate-driven violence. Four years ago, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish man stabbed a 16-year-old girl to death at a pride festival in Jerusalem.
Balmy and bright
The weather in Tel Aviv on Friday was balmy and clear, adding to the beach party atmosphere. Mayor Huldai said that "the Tel Aviv Pride parade is not just a celebration, but an important declaration of support and an opportunity to promote equal rights for all."