Thousands march in Jerusalem Pride parade, first under Israel’s most right-wing government ever

By ISAAC SCHARF and TIA GOLDENBERG
Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) — Thousands of people have taken part in Jerusalem’s Pride parade. Thursday’s version of the annual event is the first to take place under Israel’s most right-wing government ever, which is stacked with openly homophobic members. The march in the conservative city is always tense and tightly secured by police and has been wracked by violence in the past. But this year, Israel finds itself deeply riven over a contentious government plan to overhaul the judiciary. Jerusalem’s march is typically more subdued than the one in gay-friendly Tel Aviv. But Thursday’s parade in Jerusalem drew bigger crowds than usual as a show of force against the government.