Revelers toting rainbow flags flooded Tel Aviv on Friday for the city's annual Gay Pride parade.
The beachfront procession drew some 250,000 locals and tourists, the biggest in its history, the municipality said. The British Embassy donated a London-themed float. U.S. Ambassador David Friedman posted on Twitter that he was "proud of everyone who is marching."
Israel's LGBTQ rights are unusual for the deeply conservative Middle East. Secular Tel Aviv has long billed itself as a gay tourism hub. Last July, a joint survey by GayCities.com and American Airlines ranked Tel Aviv as the world's top LGBTQ travel destination.
Israel often points to its social liberalism as a contrast with its regional enemies.
In Israel, members of the LGBTQ community serve openly in the IDF and in the Knesset, and many popular artists and entertainers are gay. Meanwhile, gay Palestinians tend to be secretive about their social lives and some have crossed into Israel to live safely.
"As #Israel wakes up to #Pride2018, where tolerance and acceptance are thought & celebrated yearly – #Iranian sponsored #Gaza #Terrorists of #Hamas wake to kill maim & burn us all, using women and children as human shields in their riot attempts to breach the border," a Foreign Ministry spokesman tweeted on Friday.
Sahreef Awad, an Arab participant from Israel, said: "There's no difference between anyone, it's just like, you know, culture, color, nationality, it doesn't matter, come one, it's like, we are all people, that's what matters, love is love, so love wins, yeah!"
Shiran, 28, from Ramat Gan, attends the parade in Tel Aviv every year.
"It's already become a special ceremony for us, a real holiday," she told Israel Hayom.
"We got everyone together, we had drinks, and we took pictures with the pride flag even though most of us are straight. We marched along the [seaside] promenade and danced. It's fun to see beautiful people and colorful pride floats. I like this time of year, when the city's so colorful," she added.
Rona, 31, from Tel Aviv said she has been living in the city for a decade.
"It's fun to see how every year, the general atmosphere becomes more accepting and loving. Despite the heavy heat, I won't miss out on the chance to support the LGBTQ community," she said.
Cordelia Lange, from Germany, called Tel Aviv "a very vibrant city, it's a city that embraces everything connected to gays, lesbians and LGBT, and I think it's a combination of city at the beach and good vibes."
