Jerusalem’s Gay Pride Parade Deemed “Successful” and “Controversial”

Thursday’s Gay Pride Parade in Jerusalem was called “successful” by some and “controversial” by others. Official estimates claim more than 15,000 jammed the streets of Israel’s capital with a very large security contingent present due in large part to memories of 2015’s murder of a 16-year old by an ultra-Orthodox Jew. This year, some 49 arrests were made before and during the event, including a man brandishing a large knife. One bizarre footnote occurred when the first openly gay Israeli cabinet minister appeared before the crowd and was roundly jeered rather than cheered. Apparently to the LBQ world, being a member of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Likud Party is more negative than having a gay minister is positive.