'Stronghold of democracy:' Tel Aviv mayor talks Pride with i24NEWS

With the world celebrating Pride this month, a time that has become an integral part of Israel’s cultural hub Tel Aviv – widely considered the “gay capital of the Middle East” – i24NEWS spoke with the city’s mayor about the atmosphere of “tolerance, democracy, and inclusivity” there.

Ron Huldai became the mayor of Tel Aviv in 1998 after a long career in Israel’s Air Force. He is a largely popular figure for all of the city’s developments under his watch, and signs indicate that the 78-year-old may be around for a while with elections later this year.

“A city is a community of people, and at its center, of values,” Huldai told i24NEWS. “I happily discovered that those are the values of the people living in Tel Aviv. It has been the main city in Israel, a city that attracts young adults, a city of culture.”

“One of the things I recognized early on was the status of the gay community in Israel, and I took the Pride parade as a city project. We are a community center for the gay community,” he continued. 

“The city is famous and tourists come for the Tel Aviv Pride Parade. Here, I thought we’d made it to a place where we don’t have to talk about it much, but then the new government undermined the foundations of democracy. We need to go back to the basics – basic human rights, the right that no one can take from a person. These rights are being challenged today. Therefore, this parade becomes more important. This is the real story of Tel Aviv, as the stronghold of Israel's democracy.”

During the month of June, which has become dedicated to the celebration and commemoration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender pride, residents of Tel Aviv are exposed to billboards in solidarity and weekly parades, emphasizing the thriving tolerance of LGBTQ+. But even for the better part of the year – apart from wide-scale celebrations and rhetoric – not rare are scenes of a gay couple kissing on a street bench, posters of the next drag show plastered on cafe windows, or rainbow flags hung on establishments throughout Tel Aviv.

“Tel Aviv is not big in size, but it is part of something bigger,” Huldai said. 

“There are security and economic issues on the one hand and a disagreement about what the country should be like on the other hand. 75 years ago, I couldn't predict what this country was going to look like today. So I don’t know what it will look like in our future.”

“But what I do know is that every day, I do everything I can to keep Israel tolerant, democratic, and inclusive. The startup city of the startup nation. This is our job, and without it, we cease to exist.”

The "economic" issue that Huldai mentioned is indeed a pressing one that Israel continues to face, amid a cost-of-living crisis that is being felt particularly hard in Tel Aviv. The city has become one of the most expensive to live in the world, having an impact not only on residents and employees but also on tourists drawn to the city.

“The reality of the cost of living is not unique to Tel Aviv. All Israelis are dealing with it. Every person in Paris understands that in the center, everything is more expensive. The same goes for Manhattan, it’s happening all over the world,” Huldai said. 

“And more so when we’re talking about a city that everyone wants to live in. But generally, the cost of living is not a Tel Aviv factor. People who decided to live in the city can save money by not buying a car, they can also lower costs for services such as community centers, informal education systems, and beach services. The cost of living in Israel is still unresolved, and with the current government, it’s a serious issue.”

A common term that has sprung up around Israel in the past decades when referring to the city is “The State of Tel Aviv,” one that Huldai rejects.

“There’s no such thing as a ‘State of Tel Aviv,’ and there won't be one. We influence the rest of the country, we are the center of Israel. We are part of this country, but we also don't want to be apart from it,” he urged.

“We play an important part in what is happening today. This is the city where you come to protest, celebrate, have fun, and enjoy the culture.”