The 24th Jerusalem March for Pride and Tolerance on Thursday will take a new route toward the Knesset, organizers announced on Tuesday.
The Jerusalem Open House for Pride and Tolerance said the march will call for changes in public discourse and legislation on behalf of Israel’s LGBTQ+ community.
The march, held under the slogan “Demanding Change,” will depart from Sacher Park and continue toward the Rose Garden, passing near the Supreme Court and Knesset area. Organizers said the route, approved in coordination with the Jerusalem District Police, is intended to underline that the demand for equality is not symbolic, but requires action by decision-makers.
March route and message
For the first time in about a decade, the Jerusalem march will not follow its traditional route, organizers said. Participants are expected to walk from Sacher Park through Rabin Road, the Supreme Court area, Yoel Sussman Street, and on to the Rose Garden.
The Jerusalem Open House said the march will focus on advancing full equality for the LGBTQ+ community, restoring a sense of security for all Israeli citizens, and promoting social and legislative change. The organization said the timing, during an election year, gives the march added civic significance.
Speakers and public figures
The closing rally at the Rose Garden will be hosted by Elad Bar-Noy and Avia Farhi, according to the organizers. Speakers are expected to include Jerusalem activist Nadav Schwartz, trans activist Nina Halevi, Jerusalem Open House chair Hadas Blomendal, and Association for Civil Rights in Israel executive director Noa Sattath.
Performers scheduled to appear include Gal De Paz, Hazeevot, Suzi Boom, and Rona Kenan at the opening stage in Sacher Park. Opposition leader Yair Lapid and MK Naama Lazimi have confirmed their attendance, while organizers said invitations were sent to all Knesset members.
Police preparations
About 2,000 Jerusalem District police officers, Border Police troops, undercover officers, reinforcements, and volunteers are expected to secure the march, organizers said. Police will be deployed along the route, at gathering points, and on nearby streets to maintain public order and direct traffic.
Road closures are expected to begin at 3:30 p.m. on Rabin, Ben-Zvi Boulevard, Bezalel, Ruppin, Kaplan, and Hanassi Hashishi streets, as well as nearby areas. Israel Police Commissioner Danny Levy recently met LGBTQ+ community representatives ahead of Pride Month and said police would act to prevent violence, incitement, and interference at Pride events, according to The Jerusalem Post.
Wider Pride Month context
The Jerusalem march comes as Israel marks Pride Month with events across the country, including Pride Land at the Dead Sea, which The Jerusalem Post reported is being promoted as the largest LGBTQ+ festival ever held in the Middle East. The festival is scheduled to run from June 1 to June 4 and includes cultural, family and performance programming.
Jerusalem Open House chair Hadas Blomendal said the march was “not only a protest,” but a statement about “a society in which equal rights and human dignity are not privileges granted to some and denied to others.”