Israel, Middle East

Israel is the world's only Jewish state. It is considered one of the most advanced countries in the Middle East in economic and industrial development. In 2007, Israel had the 22nd-highest gross domestic product per capita of US$33,299. The country is considered the most progressive and tolerant country in the Middle East in terms of gay rights. Common law marriage has already been achieved (which grants most of the official marriage rights to the spouse), but full official gay marriage has not yet been sanctioned. However, same-sex marriages performed elsewhere are recognized. Israel, Jordan, Turkey, and Cyprus are the only countries in the Middle East where homosexuality between consenting adults in private is not illegal and homosexuals are not persecuted under law. Israel is the only country in the Middle East where homosexuals are protected by anti-discrimination laws. Read More. Also see: Islam and Homosexuality. 

 

News & Reports:

 

Hackers demand $1 million to stop leak of private user info from Israeli LGBT+ dating site

Private user information from an Israeli LGBT+ dating site has been leaked online by hackers, who are threatening to release more data unless they receive a $1 million ransom. Geo-located dating service Atraf was among dozens of sites hit by the Black Shadow hacking group on Friday evening (29 October) after a break in at… Read more »

Israel: ‘Gay conversion’ therapy ban bill passed by MPs

Israeli MPs have taken steps to outlaw the practice of “gay conversion” therapy by psychologists – the first Middle East country to do so. A bill passed its first stage in parliament, after two parties in the coalition government joined the opposition to vote in favour. Last year, Israel’s then-education minister endorsed the therapy, triggering… Read more »

Israel reaches record number of openly gay lawmakers

With addition of Yorai Lahav-Hertzano, the Knesset now has six homosexual MKs, or 5% of parliament, the fourth highest percentage in the world Israel swore in another openly gay lawmaker on Monday, marking a record for the country considered a regional pioneer on LGBT rights, despite opposition from religious conservatives. Yorai Lahav-Hertzano from the opposition… Read more »

Israel could become the sixth country in the world to ban traumatising gay conversion therapy as UK drags feet

Israel could become the sixth country in the world to abolish the practise of gay conversion therapy as its government considers fresh legislation. So-called ‘conversion therapy’ refers to the dangerous and discredited pseudoscientific practise of trying to change a person’s sexuality or gender identity. It is often compared to torture and has been linked to… Read more »

A Personal History of Jerusalem’s Only Official Gay Bar

The Video Pub is a valuable queer space in the holy city, and it may not survive COVID-19. If you’re looking to find the Video Pub in Jerusalem, you might have to look a little harder than usual. Located in a little niche a floor up from street level, the only official gay bar in… Read more »

250.000 revelers attended this year’s Tel Aviv Pride

Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka dancing on a float are just amazing Tel Aviv celebrated the LGBTI community during the annual Pride, taking place today (14 June). 250.000 Pridegoers took to the streets of the city, considered by many a safe haven in Israel for gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans people. View this post… Read more »

Israel: Amir Ohana becomes first openly gay minister

The first openly gay man to become a minister in Israel has been appointed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Amir Ohana, of Mr Netanyahu’s Likud party, was named as acting justice minister following the sacking of the previous office holder. Mr Ohana, 43, is a Netanyahu loyalist, who backs moves to protect the prime minister… Read more »

Israel: Amir Ohana becomes first openly gay minister

The first openly gay man to become a minister in Israel has been appointed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Amir Ohana, of Mr Netanyahu’s Likud party, was named as acting justice minister following the sacking of the previous office holder. Mr Ohana, 43, is a Netanyahu loyalist, who backs moves to protect the prime minister… Read more »

LGBTI Jews march in New York’s annual Celebrate Israel parade

‘[It’s] a proclamation of our miraculous existence against all odds’ A group of LGBTI Jews are marching in New York City’s annual Celebrate Israel parade today (2 June). The LGBTI contingent of the march was organized in part by A Wider Bridge, an organization dedicated to connecting the LGBTI Jewish communities in North America and… Read more »

First openly gay Orthodox rabbi ordained in Jerusalem

Jerusalem (JTA) — A gay rabbinical student denied ordination by a liberal seminary in New York was welcomed into the rabbinate in Jerusalem, breaking a longstanding taboo against homosexuality in the Orthodox community. Daniel Landes, a prominent American-Israeli rabbi, granted semichah, Hebrew for ordination, to Daniel Atwood alongside a mixed group of men and women… Read more »

Thousands march in Jerusalem Gay Pride amid surrogacy uproar

Jerusalem — Over 15,000 people marched in the Gay Pride Parade through Jerusalem on Thursday, partying in the shadow of a recently passed surrogacy law that excludes homosexual fathers and outraged the gay community. Waving rainbow flags emblazed with the Star of David and blasting music, throngs of people marched through the streets of central… Read more »

Opinion Why We’ve Suppressed the Queer History of the Holocaust

Even in the concentration camps, the prisoners of the Nazis employed homophobia to distance themselves from those considered ‘other’. That ‘disgust’ still informs the erasure of Jewish gay and lesbian victims from the Holocaust narrative On September 10, 1944, Gonda Redlich, the Jewish head of the Youth Care department in the Theresienstadt ghetto, wrote in… Read more »

Israeli MP forced to resign after attending nephew’s gay wedding

An Israeli MP has been forced to resign – after attending his nephew’s same-sex wedding. Yigal Guetta had sat as a member of the Knesset (Parliament) for the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party. But his decision led to anger from other lawmakers within his party and from Orthodox rabbis, after he revealed that in a radio interview… Read more »

Government will not allow gay couples to adopt in Israel

Responding to court petition, state cites ‘difficulties’ for the child; lawmakers accuse government of homophobia The government announced on Sunday that there are no intentions to change the law and allow gay couples to adopt in Israel. In response to a High Court petition, the state said that it was opposed to allowing same-sex couples… Read more »

Deadly Stigma: HIV Infections in Middle East on the Rise

Despite a historically low prevalence of HIV infections, countries in the Middle East and North Africa are facing a rising number of HIV/AIDS cases at a time when the rates of new infections drop across the globe as part of a concerted effort to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. Such a dynamic is on… Read more »

Get An Up-Close Look At Israel’s First Transgender Beauty Pageant

Photographer Oded Balilty goes behind the scenes with “Miss Trans Israel.” New Yorkers can get a behind-the-scenes look at Israel’s first-ever transgender beauty pageant as part of Brooklyn’s annual “pop-up” photography festival. Oded Balilty, who nabbed a Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography in 2007, is bringing his colorful series, “Miss Trans Israel,” to Photoville,… Read more »

What It Means To Be A Gay Teen In A Jewish Ultra-Orthodox Community

Recently, “Mira” cut her hair short. It was cute, and boyish. The next morning, she was called to the office in her high school yeshiva and told, “We don’t tolerate such shenanigans.” Girls at their school are required to look properly feminine, and all of them are expected to marry. “Sam” lives in a similar… Read more »

Thousands attend Jerusalem Pride, despite fears of repeat attack

Last year’s parade was stopped after a violent knife attack was carried out. Members of Jerusalem’s LGBT community are returning to the city’s streets today for an annual pride parade – one year after a deadly stabbing attack. This year’s parade is being dedicated to the memory of Shira Banki, the 16-year-old girl who was… Read more »

Israel gives green light to HIV-preventing PrEP drugs

Israel has become the latest country to approve the use of PrEP drugs to prevent HIV infection. Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) drug Truvada can drastically reduce people’s chances of being infected with HIV if taken daily. The drug has been endorsed by the World Health Organisation and is routinely available to at-risk men in the US… Read more »

Gay Iranian Poet Flees Persecution, Finds Himself in Israel

Payam Feili fled his native Iran last year because of the persecution he faced over his sexuality. Now, the gay poet has made a years-long dream come true — he is visiting Israel, Iran’s archenemy and a country known for its tolerance toward gays. But the 30-year-old Feili stands out not only because of his… Read more »

Tel Aviv boasts one of the world’s largest Gay Pride parades

Tel Aviv, Israel – The Middle East isn’t exactly the first place that comes to mind when we think of LGBT equality. It may not even be the tenth. In report after report, countries including Iran, Saudi Arabia and Yemen are singled out for imposing the harshest penalties for homosexual activity, including death and lashings.… Read more »

Online activists spur change in Middle East, China, world

Online LGBT activism and community-building are the focus of this week’s video in the “Quorum” series of 11 discussions of international LGBTI issues. Moderator for the latest discussion is Andre Banks, executive director of AllOut.org, the U.S.-based advocacy organization that has enlisted 2 million people worldwide to take action online for LGBTI rights. Panelists /… Read more »

10 Reasons Why it’s Great to be Gay in Israel

“Israel is the most gay friendly nation in the Middle East” – as the headlines say, but what’s behind the rainbow-colored slogan? For all the skeptics and fans of Tel Aviv, Kristóf Yosef Steiner breaks down the White City’s major attributes First and foremost: No one asks you to choose between your religion and sexual… Read more »

Individual and Community Resilience Factors Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Queer and Questioning Youth and Adults in Israel.

Abstract Drawing on resilience theories, this study examined the individual and community factors of Israeli lesbians, gays, bisexuals, queers, and questioning (LGBQs) that contribute to positive mental health and the degree to which individual and community protective factors mitigate the adverse effect of risk factors for poor mental health. Differences in resilience factors between LGBQ… Read more »

Israel: Twice-cancelled Jerusalem Pride attracts low turnout

This year’s Jerusalem Pride – which was delayed twice due to the Gaza conflict – has finally gone ahead, but attracted a lower-than-expected turnout. The Pride event, which was initially due to take place in August but was delayed over security fears during the Gaza conflict, finally took place yesterday. Held in Shabbat Square, reported… Read more »

Israel allows Jews to immigrate with same-sex spouses

The Israeli Government says it will now allow Jews to immigrate to Israel with their non-Jewish same-sex spouses. Interior Minister Gideon Saar told immigration authorities on Tuesday not to differentiate between married gay and straight couples. Israel does not permit gay couples to marry in the country, but recognises same-sex marriages if they were performed… Read more »

Jerusalem LGBT center falsely linked to killing of Palestinian

Jerusalem Open House for Pride and Tolerance, an LGBT community center that has operated in Jerusalem for more than a decade, became embroiled earlier this month in the controversy surrounding the July 2 killing of a 16-year-old Palestinian youth that triggered new fighting between Israel and Gaza. Israeli police and the internal Israeli security agency… Read more »

How Pink-Washing Leaves Israel Feeling Squeaky Clean

Now that suspected Jewish extremists have confessed to the murder of Palestinian teen Mohammed Abu Khdeir and are in police custody, it is only fair to look at the rumored scenarios that were spread before the Shoafat murder was seemingly solved – the ones speculating that the motive for the murder was an “honor killing.”… Read more »

‘Steep rise’ in HIV infection feared among gay Israeli men, says survey

Israel: A survey conducted by the Israel AIDS Task Force shows the likelihood of a steep rise in HIV infection rates among gay men in the country, reports GayAsiaNews.com. Of the 989 men who participated in the online poll of gay men, 48 percent reported having unprotected sex at least once this year. The survey,… Read more »

Israel to legalise surrogacy for gay couples

Israel will legalise surrogacy for gay couples and has begun to issue passports for babies born via surrogacy abroad, ministers have announced. Currently, surrogacy is only legal for married couples, meaning that all same-sex couples have to travel abroad if they want to use a surrogate. However, under the changes, it will become legal for… Read more »

Israel’s first memorial to gay Holocaust victims unveiled

Israel’s first memorial to the homosexual victims of the Nazis was inaugurated on Tuesday in a Tel Aviv park near the city’s Gay Center Israel now has its first memorial to the gay victims of the Nazi regime of Adolf Hitler, with a public memorial to them unveiled in Tel Aviv’s Meir Park on Tuesday.… Read more »

Israeli President Shimon Peres says he supports same-sex marriage

Shimon Peres has told Israeli news agency YNet that he supports same-sex marriage because all human beings should have the same rights, during a state visit to Mexico Israeli President Shimon Peres has become the highest ranking Israeli politician to announce their support for same-sex couples having the right to marry – although his role… Read more »

Being Gay in Tel Aviv, the Manhattan of the Middle East

My mom is a gay civil rights activist. Let’s get down to it: The reason I support Israel is that I found a different cause from my mom’s. Yet I remain deeply invested in gay civil rights. I cried when gay marriage was legalized in New York on June 24, 2011. New Yorkers, gay and… Read more »

Israel to honour gay Holocaust victims with first monument

Israel has announced that it is to erect a monument in the honour of gay victims of the Holocaust, the first of its kind in the country. The memorial is to be completed in Meir Park, Tel Aviv later this year, and the first of its kind in Israel. Like other monuments around the world,… Read more »

Conjugal visits approved for gay and lesbian prisoners in Israel

The Israel Prison Service has announced its prisoner’s ordinance allows conjugal visits for homosexual prisoners Homosexual prisoners in Israel have now been granted conjugal visits. Gay and lesbian prisoners in Israel have been granted the same conjugal visitation rights as straight prisoners. According to the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), the Israel Prison… Read more »

Israel’s Tel Aviv holds annual gay pride parade

Tel Aviv, Israel (AP) — Drag queens, politicians, grandmothers and shirtless men descended on Tel Aviv in their thousands Friday to party in the annual gay pride parade, the 15th march to be held in an Israeli city that has emerged as one of the world’s most gay-friendly. Loud dance music beat along the parade’s… Read more »

Three arrested for Israel gay youth shooting

Israeli police arrested three suspects in connection with a shooting which left two dead and dozens injuried at a Tel-Aviv gay youth center shooting in 2009 Israeli police have arrested three suspects in connection with a shooting at Tel-Aviv’s gay youth center in 2009. The three suspects who were arrested today (5 June) will appear… Read more »

Young man assaulted and injured on a Jerusalem bus for being gay

A young man from Jerusalem, Israel was verbally abused and brutally assaulted on a night bus for being gay, while passengers and security stood by and did not intervene A young gay man was attacked on a Jerusalem night bus, receiving facial injuries. The youth in his early twenties went out with friends in Jerusalem,… Read more »

Palestinian gay couple killed by Israeli Gaza bombing

Two gay Palestinians who lived in Gaza and were in a relationship were killed when an Israeli bomb directly hit their apartment building A gay Palestinian couple was killed by an Israeli bomb that directly hit their apartment building. The two men, one aged 21 the other 31 years-old, were spending time in their apartment… Read more »

Tel Aviv is proud to present the first gay guest house!

Established specifically for gay singles or couples, the gay owned and operated Pink House is proud to make his guests feel at home. Pink House is located in the most exciting city of Israel – Tel Aviv. We offer gay travelers the perfect home away from home experience, whether you want to relax and unwind… Read more »