LGBT supporters held a gay pride parade in Jerusalem

On June 4, 2026, the annual LGBT Pride Parade took place in Jerusalem; this year, it took on the character of a large-scale political demonstration against Israel’s current government. The participants changed the traditional route, directing the march directly toward the Knesset (the country’s parliament) to present their demands to lawmakers.

According to The Times of Israel, the event was held under the banner of defending democracy. The march was openly supported by leaders of the liberal opposition, notably Yair Lapid, who described the march as a struggle for an inclusive Judaism that embraces the diversity of society.

To ensure security, more than 2,000 police officers were deployed, cordoning off the city’s central neighborhoods. The event was accompanied by protests from the conservative group “Lehava.” Opponents of the march, chanting “Jerusalem is not Sodom,” called the event unacceptable for the Holy City.

As a reminder, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs had previously officially announced plans to hold the Middle East’s largest LGBT festival on the shores of the Dead Sea in June. The choice of venue sparked a wave of criticism and bewilderment among believers, as this area is traditionally associated with the biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.