Israel is preparing to stage what organisers call the Middle East's largest LGBTQ+ festival, a four-day spectacle carved into the Dead Sea's stark landscape. Yet even before the first stage is built, 'Pride Land' has become entangled in a much sharper argument about war, image and power.
Set for 1 to 4 June 2026, 'Pride Land' aims to turn the Judean Desert into a temporary 'Pride City,' complete with 15 hotels, beach complexes and a central performance arena operating around the clock. Aaron Cohen, the festival's main producer and initiator, said, 'Pride Land is not just another festival, it's the biggest thing we've done here.'
