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News & Current Events Apr 22, 2026 at 1:23 AM

Israel announces a four day pride festival to be held at Dead Sea, the largest Pride Festival in Middle East history

Posted by WayOutbackBoy

Four day pride festival to be held at Dead Sea, largest in Middle East history | The Jerusalem Post
The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com
Four day pride festival to be held at Dead Sea, largest in Middle East history | The Jerusalem Post
“Pride Land is not just another festival," said the main producer and initiator of the festival, Aaron Cohen, "it's the biggest thing we've done here.”
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728766 3 days ago +343
>the largest Pride Festival in Middle East history Well, I doubt anyone will dispute that. 
343
babybirdingURgrandma 3 days ago +76
Well I mean the entire Saudi monarchy wears dresses.  Just kidding homies pls don't bonesaw me
76
FlyingRaccoon_420 3 days ago +23
Too late. You have been invited to The Embassy
23
Medical-Try-8986 3 days ago +8
Refusal will result in bonesawing. 
8
Emotional-Dress8619 3 days ago +27
not according to the bible,there was already one there long back
27
selotipkusut 3 days ago +16
It also said that they went out with a bam! Pillars of salt and whatnot
16
Buddy_Here_Is_Birdie 3 days ago +48
At the Dead Sea? That should be pretty close to the site of the original Sodom.
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GaudyImpling 3 days ago +10
Mood
10
Significant-Bother49 3 days ago +89
In Middle East history, you say? Has any other country there had a pride festival?
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The_Fluffness 3 days ago +23
If I remember correctly there was a weird thing in Iraq back in like 2010? But I think it was like a US celebration of legal gay marriage maybe in the US? Not like a real pride event.
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IllystAnalyst 3 days ago +42
Everyone is joking about pride festivals in the middle east, while I’m surprised as hell that the Dead Sea still exists. Is there still enough water to call it a sea?
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Yuukiko_ 3 days ago +24
Iirc water only flows into it so probably?
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No_Ad_7687 3 days ago +3
It's evaporating extremely quickly, still diminishing though 
3
SpiritualB0x3 3 days ago +18
I believe it’s shrinking and Israel looked into replenishing from the Red Sea or something
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StunningGold8030 3 days ago +24
Red Dead Sea? I've played that game
24
throwawayanno123 3 days ago +12
Technically it's always a lake. 'sea' only in the name same as Aral 'Sea' as they both totally surrounded by land. At worst, it'll become Dead Sea salt flat.
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Roobsi 3 days ago +6
if you walk around the edges of the dead sea the land is collapsing. Apparently the salt works into the soil and crystallises, then when the sea recedes and leaves salt it erodes away with condensation and the like and leaves these huge sinkholes and crevasses around.
6
Present_Student4891 3 days ago +44
Worked at Ein Gedi kibbutz overlooks the Desd Sea. It’s the world’s only inhabited UNESCO garden. Spent 2 months there. Heaven.
44
Big_Assistance_1895 3 days ago +14
My father worked there in the 50s
14
Ecsta 3 days ago +67
It's a private company hosted event not "Israel announces". Also show me another place in the Middle East where you aren't murdered for it. Somehow listnook still turns that into Israel is bad.
67
Gaminedes7 3 days ago +88
>Somehow listnook still turns that into Israel is bad. Yeah it's almost like being LGBT friendly doesn't make you immune to criticism when you commit war crimes. Weird I've never seen anyone criticize Israel for being LGBT friendly on Listnook. It's all the other stuff they have an issue with
88
TheGazelle 3 days ago +12
Right, but surely we can talk about a good thing that doesn't directly have anything to do with the state without bringing up what the state is doing, right? Like when June comes around and there are posts about Pride festivals all throughout the US, somehow I doubt people will try to argue it's perfectly reasonable to bring up Iran in that context.
12
Gaminedes7 3 days ago -4
The US doesn't usually use the "we're the good guys because we respect LGBTQ rights" argument as a shield for their foreign policy. If they did, you'd see people bring up foreign policy when discussing LGBTQ rights in the US. You don't see Spain saying they've had same sex marriage since 2005 when some (insane) people say they're allied with the IRGC. Props to Israel for supporting LGBTQ rights though.
-4
TheGazelle 3 days ago +7
>The US doesn't usually use the "we're the good guys because we respect LGBTQ rights" argument as a shield for their foreign policy Where do you see Israel doing this?
7
snailorT 3 days ago +8
Go to the official Israel X account and search “gay”. You’ll find a plethora of examples.
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TheGazelle 3 days ago
Ok? We're talking about this article.
0
snailorT 3 days ago +3
And I’m responding to your question “Where do you see Israel doing this?”
3
TheGazelle 3 days ago -1
Yes, so your reply is irrelevant. My question wasn't "where do you see Israel pink washing *literally ever under any context*". It was "where do you see Israel *doing anything that can be described as pink washing in relation to this story*". This is obvious to anyone with basic reading comprehension and an interest in good faith discussion. Which one do you struggle with here?
-1
snailorT 3 days ago +5
Oh so you’re just arguing for the sake of it, got it
5
Gaminedes7 3 days ago +4
>Where do you see Israel doing this? When they're targeting a western audience. It was impossinle to avoid it in the October 6th aftermath. I doubt it's used for domestic consumption. It's widespread enough that it has a name: pinkwashing. Props to Israel because it works, I've definitely been more sympathetic to Israel in the past due to it.
4
AcanthaceaeUnited713 3 days ago +17
No you see just host LGBTQ event and you get free voucher for war crimes 
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ProtectionUnable1027 3 days ago +14
It is no longer safe to be a queer Jew in the larger lgbtq+ community. The antisemitism is chilling.
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A_Happy_Egg 3 days ago -11
If you equate criticism of the Israeli government and its policies to antisemitism then sure
-11
ComplexInside1661 3 days ago +27
Nah, there's a huge issue of actual antisemiteism there as well
27
[deleted] 3 days ago +19
[deleted]
19
Ultra_Metal 2 days ago -2
Israel didn't commit any war crimes. Israel's enemies do it all the time.
-2
TheGazelle 3 days ago +7
Yeah the "Israel announces" appears to just be OP's editorializing. The actual headline is basically just the rest of the title, then the first paragraph says "Israel is set host [...]"
7
Anyales 3 days ago -6
Murder tens of thousands of innocent civilians and suddenly noone gives you credit for allowing someone else to hold a concert. Its appalling
-6
mitoke 3 days ago -10
Where is anyone saying it’s bad?
-10
Sxualhrssmntpanda 3 days ago -6
I think Israel is pretty bad. I don't think they are bad FOR allowing a pride festival, i think they are bad WHILE allowing a pride festival.
-6
HatCat5566 3 days ago +16
oof, i know a few thousand listnook leftists who are NOT going to be happy about this. They'll block 3 more pride parades in support of hating Jews.
16
New_Student1645 3 days ago +4
Optimistically: cool that’s awesome Pessimistically: this may not end well
4
Epyr 3 days ago +71
They've had them in the past without issue.
71
Why_No_Doughnuts 3 days ago +51
Why would it not end well? Tel Aviv pride is one of the biggest in the world, and (other than that one year Taipei beat them) is consistently the largest in Asia.
51
New_Student1645 3 days ago +13
The current war in the Middle East seeing daily attacks on Israel, and past attacks like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nova_music_festival_massacre
13
No_Ad_7687 3 days ago +11
There are no big (hamas level) terrorist organizations in Jordan. It'll be fine
11
its_all_one_electron 3 days ago +8
Because they're currently in the middle of a war... Large gathering of people is not good
8
Cross_Toss 2 days ago +3
Let me tell you about Independence Day celebrations
3
its_all_one_electron 1 day ago +1
Those gatherings are individualized to local areas. Most people don't go that far, you know this. This pride celebration is going to have probably a tens or hundreds of thousands of people in one place. 
1
Cross_Toss 1 day ago +2
The celebration I was at was organized by city council and had over 20k people
2
its_all_one_electron 1 day ago +1
I'm aware, but Israel said this would be the largest pride event in the middle east ever. Which means bigger than tel aviv pride at 100k. No idea how they're gonna fit that many people there but 100k lgbt and allies in the middle of the desert is a much bigger target and much easier to attack than some random town square in Holon or wherever. 
1
faffc260 3 days ago +17
they've had smaller ones before without issue. unless iran decides to missile strike it they'll likely be fine.
17
nonlawyer 3 days ago
that’s a pretty big “unless” tho
0
Ultra_Metal 2 days ago +2
Meanwhile, many LGBTQ people in the West support far right terrorist groups that murder and torture LGBTQ people. They are betraying their own values.
2
Eight-Sage 1 day ago +1
Sodom 2.0 is back in business!
1
RandyWatson8 3 days ago -23
Feel like MAGA Israel supporters heads might explode with this one
-23
killerkingbee9 3 days ago +73
Feel like 'LGBT for Gaza' and most Ivy League students' heads might explode with this one. 
73
FluidHips 3 days ago -35
Remarkably progressive murderers.
-35
Dude-Good 3 days ago -36
Yea if I was gay no way in hell I would go..
-36
No_Ad_7687 3 days ago +9
It'll be hot as hell but it sounds fun
9
doctorsynaptic 3 days ago +35
Tel Avivs pride is considered one of the best pride festivals in the world.
35
[deleted] 3 days ago -23
[deleted]
-23
maorcules 3 days ago +4
There are traps there if u into that
4
4d3fect 3 days ago -32
Rainbow washing 
-32
mitoke 3 days ago -27
It very much is. While gay rights are abysmal in the region, I do think, with the way they tout it out, it’s meant to do just this.
-27
728766 3 days ago +50
Tel Aviv Pride has been happening since 1979. 
50
mitoke 3 days ago -31
How does that change anything? Or did you think I’m referring to just what’s going on now? If so, I’m not.
-31
darth_aardvark 3 days ago +10
Are you seriously suggesting they were "rainbow washing" in 1979? Like there was some political or economic benefit to appearing lgbt friendly in 19 f****** 79?
10
alex8155 3 days ago -39
call it the sitting duck festival
-39
Marsupialmania 3 days ago -65
Probably by intention
-65
unclear_warfare 3 days ago -34
Didn't Turkey host a big one too? Maybe this is bigger. Either way the coverage will be: look at us, we're all modern and cuddly and progressive, you don't need to worry about all the murders we just committed
-34
platinumarks 3 days ago +14
Hey, it worked for Hamas
14
unclear_warfare 3 days ago -10
What did? For all their crimes, I would never accuse them of attempting to be cuddly
-10
[deleted] 3 days ago -101
[removed]
-101
RushPrime 3 days ago +67
Damned if they do, damned if they don’t. You guys just badly want innocent people to die to fuel your unhinged conspiracy theories.
67
AcrobaticSecretary29 3 days ago +65
Unhinged 
65
[deleted] 3 days ago -59
[deleted]
-59
arc_oobleck 3 days ago -46
Wouldn't be the first time, and Jordan is in the way of a greater isreal.
-46
IfICode 2 days ago -1
This has got to be the funniest way to try and gain favor with the west
-1
Cross_Toss 2 days ago +5
Israel has had large Pride Parades for a while
5
Unconsuming 3 days ago -16
Pinkwashing spotted
-16
No_Ad_7687 3 days ago +7
Orrr maybe countries aren't just "good" or "evil"
7
Unconsuming 3 days ago -16
Nah, countries are just ideas, and some of them are anything but bad ideas. And besides that, we have Israel.
-16
No_Ad_7687 3 days ago +11
Oh, in that case I'll just stop believing in China. Yay! Hong Kong is free!
11
Unconsuming 3 days ago -13
I'm sorry you would be dissapointed. It doesn't work in this way. Ideas aren't only wistful thinking. Anyway, HK wasn't free beforehand.
-13
TheUnchosenWon 3 days ago -12
Isreal is the best they need to own the middle east.
-12
AromaticMacaron7925 3 days ago -8
Incoming false flag.
-8
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