TEL AVIV, Israel – The largest gay pride parade in the Middle East is drawing hundreds of thousands of revelers to the streets of Tel Aviv.
Drag queens and rainbow-clad marchers streamed through the city on Friday, posing for selfies and beating drums. Floats rolled by blasting electro beats.
Support for gay rights is increasingly widespread in Israel, where gay people serve openly in the military and parliament. Yet they haven't attained equality.
Some marchers carried signs mocking members of Israel's right-wing, religious government for restricting same-sex couples' marriage and parental rights.
TV star Neil Patrick Harris arrived in Israel this week to headline the parade. The celebration culminates a month of LGBT events and marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, widely considered a decisive moment in the advancement of gay rights.