Israel is preparing to host new event called “Pride Land,” describing it as the largest LGBTQ+ festival ever held in the Middle East.
Set to take place at the Dead Sea, the four-day festival will feature performances, parties, exhibitions, and a celebration of queer culture.
Organizers have highlighted the event as the biggest gathering of its kind in the region. In a post on X on Monday, Israel’s official account said the festival would offer “four days of nonstop celebration, community and connection,” while The Jerusalem Post has referred to it as the largest event of its kind in the region’s history.
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RT reports: According to the official website, ‘Pride Land’ is scheduled for July 1-4, 2026 in Ein Bokek on the Dead Sea and is being sold as a destination-style event rather than a single parade. Organizers are offering hotel-and-ticket packages, including all-access wristbands, and promoting a central events space called DOME X.
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The website says the program will include performances, parties, exhibitions, art, and queer culture – along with family-oriented activities and child-friendly areas alongside the broader entertainment lineup.
The event is being promoted against a mixed legal backdrop for LGBTQ rights in Israel. Same-sex marriage is not performed in Israel because marriage is handled through the religious authorities rather than civil law.
However, Israel recognizes same-sex marriages performed abroad. The Foreign Ministry also says same-sex couples are recognized by Israeli courts in areas including adoption and family rights, making the country one of the more legally permissive jurisdictions for LGBTQ people in the region.
The label ‘biggest ever’, however, appears to be a promotional claim rather than objective fact. Israel has long marketed Tel Aviv Pride as one of the region’s biggest LGBTQ events. The annual event was canceled during the Gaza war in 2024, as well as in 2025 during the US-Israeli strikes against Iran.
