Tel Aviv, which has already been acknowledged as the world’s ‘most gay-friendly city’ will continue to be a light-house city – spreading the values of freedom, tolerance and democracy to the world,” said Tel Aviv-Jaffa Mayor Ron Huldai.Ĭelebrity guest US blogger and TV star Perez Hilton said Friday: “I am so excited to be the International Ambassador for Tel Aviv Pride 2017 and I’m thrilled to be in this city with my children and to show them a place that I truly love. “Tel Aviv Pride Parade is not just a celebration, but also an important declaration of support. Same sex marriage is not technically illegal in Israel but there is no institution permitted to perform it and couples must travel abroad to wed.
If you equate us to the West, the situation looks very different,” he added. “Israel tries to see itself as part of the European countries or the West.
“There is a natural contrast between what is going on in Israel and what is going on in Muslim countries around us but I don’t see why we equate ourselves with them,” Segev said. At Friday’s celebration, Mattan Segev, 36, said he had been attending Gay Pride events since he came out at the age of 13.