Tens of thousands of revelers on Friday
celebrated Tel Aviv Gay Pride.
Approximately 30,000 people danced and
waved rainbow-colored flags as the annual parade, which draws
tourists from around the world, wound its way from a community park
through the city's center.
“What I find special about Tel Aviv
is that it has a very vibrant gay community, but more than that, I
find that the city itself and the people of Tel Aviv are very
open-minded towards gay people,” Neil Porter of Berlin told CNN.
“Wherever we go, we can hold hands, we can kiss, and nobody ever
bats an eyelid.”
“Palestinians, Jews, religious or
secular would be able to look at the mirror and say 'I'm gay, and I
feel good about that,'” said Dany Zack who attended the parade
wearing a hat with a Star of David and a rainbow flag painted on his
face.
An Arab Israeli man told the AFP that
“it is very difficult to be a homosexual in the Arab community.”
He added that the was “lucky” that his family accepted him.