Jerusalem gay pride parade

Tel Aviv had previously been the venue for the only yearly gay pride parade in the Middle East.

[citation needed] Tel Aviv was first city in Israel to have a gay pride parade, which started in the street of Shenkin and expanded to large-scale events in the following years.

In 2007, the Knesset approved legislation to prevent pride parades in Jerusalem, and in response, then-Prime Minister of Israel Ehud Olmert's office released a statement that he "does not think that Jerusalem is the appropriate location for holding gay-pride parades due to the special sensitive nature of the city, although he believes that such matters should not be limited by law".

Protesters, many of them Orthodox Jews, lined the mile-long parade route shouting insults and displaying signs with messages such as "You are corrupting our children" and "Jerusalem is not San Francisco".

[11] Schlissel was released in 2015, and returned to the Pride Parade in 2015 to attack again, stabbing a person to death and wounding six others.

[12] In 2006, it was announced that the WorldPride event held each year in different capitals or large cities of the world would come to Jerusalem.

[13] The parade was scheduled for 6 August, and received harsh objection from Israeli religious circles from the outset.

[15] Virulent opposition from Haredi and other Orthodox Jewish corners, as well as from the Israeli Arab sector, has led many to believe that unless the gay pride parade was canceled, a violent outcome would be unavoidable.

[citation needed] On the night of 9 November, right-wing activists including Ben-Gvir and Jewish Home politician Bezalel Smotrich organized a "beast parade" with livestock and hundreds of haredi and right-wing activists, following the planned route of the pride parade.

[26] On 30 July 2015, only three weeks after being released, Yishai Schlissel stabbed six marchers during the Jerusalem gay pride parade.

[31][32] Shortly after, Prime Minister Netanyahu offered his condolences, adding, "We will deal with the murderer to the fullest extent of the law.

[39] The 2024 Jerusalem gay pride parade occurred amidst subdued surroundings due to the Israel–Hamas war in Gaza.