Israel has the most visible LGBTQ community in the Middle East, centred on Tel Aviv. At the same time the country is marked by war and conflict, and religious currents make everyday life outside the metropolis considerably more conservative.
Legal situation: Homosexuality has been legal since 1988, and discrimination based on sexual orientation is prohibited, among other things in employment law. Because there is no civil marriage in Israel, same-sex couples cannot marry in the country. Marriages concluded abroad are registered, however, and couples can adopt children together. LGBTQ people serve openly in the army and parliament, but religious parties block further steps towards equality.