Rainbows and yellow ribbons: Jerusalem celebrates Pride solemnly

Rainbows and yellow ribbons mingled at this year's Jerusalem Pride March Thursday, as marchers called for gay rights and the release of hostages held in Gaza in a less festive mood than usual.

At the head of the march, several thousands strong, hostage relatives and French ambassador to Israel Frederic Journes held a banner reading "Born to be free" in English, featuring the LGBTQ rainbow colours and a yellow ribbon representing support for hostage families.

"It's more sad than usual," said Shlomo Gedzel, a 23 year-old biology student at the Hebrew University.

"It doesn't look like a party, there is no music, signs for the hostages everywhere and people are generally more depressed."

Gedzel said the Jerusalem Pride event, which is usually a more political march for equality, was better suited to accommodate the hostage theme than its more festive Tel Aviv counterpart, which was cancelled this year.

"Here in Jerusalem we are still fighting," he said, wearing a badge commemorating 16-year-old Shira Banki, stabbed at the 2015 Jerusalem Pride March by an ultra-Orthodox Jewish extremist.

Marchers alternated between chants for equal rights for the LGBTQ community and those for the hostages's release. While the front of the march chanted "Everyone (free) Now!", those following chanted "We're here, we're everywhere!".

Next to a banner advocating for "Peace, Equality, Freedom," some wore t-shirts bearing the rainbow flagging overlapped by the word "NOW".

"We want to be equal without being dead!" students chanted, in reference to an amendment passed in November allowing common-law spouses of soldiers killed in combat to receive widow's allowance, something previously unattainable for LGBTQ partners who cannot marry in Israel, although marriages formalised abroad are recognised.

The slogan refers to fallen soldier Sagi Golan killed on October 7 fighting Hamas militants a week before his planned "wedding" celebration.

His husband Omer Ohana was initially not recognised as a widow due to their unmarried status despite living together for six years.

Sagi's father Gilad Golan, told AFP that Sagi and Omer had not felt discrimination for the 10 years that their relationship lasted, until Sagi's death.

"Omer suffered discrimination, there was no rule to deal with this sort of life partner".

Omer fought for the amendment and won, and "now there is equality after death. We want equality in life," Gilad said.

"I miss him a lot", he added in tears, amid a crowd of people wearing t-shirts bearing Sagi's face.

- 'No Pride in War' -

A sizeable contingent in the parade marched against the war in Gaza. All dressed in black, they held banners featuring slogans such as "No Pride in War", "There are Gay people in Gaza", and "Killing other Queers won't stop the Pinkwashing Machine".

The last was a reference to LGBTQ complaints that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government presents itself as a defender of LGBTQ rights in the Middle East, while relying on the votes of far-right and religious lawmakers accused of homophobia.

"I think it's important to tear off the mask of this government that is trying to pinkwash its war crimes with the achievements of the LGBTQ struggle that was conducted against them", 38-year-old Yasha Marmer told AFP.

Marmer carried a sign that read: "No one is free until everyone is free", an old slogan that he said took specific meaning in this year's context.

"We are also here to demand a deal to exchange for all hostages as part of an immediate comprehensive ceasefire", he said, adding that Palestinians held in Israeli jails should also be freed.

Ofri, 19, said she had joined the anti-war contingent after finding out about it on WhatsApp.

"This is combining Pride with opposition to the genocide, and for peace and love," she told AFP.