Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announces LGBT festival near Sodom and Gomorrah
Israeli authorities are promoting a large-scale gay event at the Dead Sea on social media, which has caused criticism and bewilderment among Christians.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel announced the holding of a large-scale LGBT festival on the coast of the Dead Sea – in a territory traditionally associated with the biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. The corresponding announcement was published in the official account of the ministry on social network X.
It states that in June, for several days, the Dead Sea area will become the venue for the largest LGBT festival in the Middle East with round-the-clock entertainment programming, hotels, and concert venues.
According to media reports, the event involves creating temporary infrastructure in the desert area, including hotels and recreation zones, as well as holding concerts and various events, including those declared as "family-friendly."
At the same time, this initiative has caused resonance in Christian circles. Social media users drew attention to the symbolism of the festival's location, which in biblical tradition is associated with the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah due to the extreme wickedness, sexual violence, and pride of the inhabitants (Genesis 19).
Some clergy and Christian public figures expressed the opinion that holding such an event in this region is perceived as a challenge to Christian values and biblical understanding of morality.
"Why here? They are mocking God," said Father Michael Lillie, a priest of the Orthodox Church of the Nativity of Christ in Youngstown, Ohio.
Why here? They are mocking God. https://t.co/vk4hEF9nh6 pic.twitter.com/b554TzhPAt
— Fr. Michael Lillie (@FrLillie) April 21, 2026
Against the backdrop of the ongoing tense situation in the region, including military threats, holding such mass events has also raised questions among part of the public.
As the UOJ reported, an Israeli soldier destroyed a statue of Christ in Lebanon.
