Israel chooses 'Milim' as the 2010 Eurovision song

The gay runner up from 'A Star is Born 2004' Harel Skaat is to represent Israel with the song Milim. The singer is of Yeminite descent, which bodes well as all previous Israeli winners were also Yemenite.

Good luck Harel.

Pride 2010

Every June for the last 11 years, the gay community in Israel celebrates gay pride in the streets of Tel Aviv. The city of Tel Aviv is bedecked in the rainbow colors for a week with the pride flag weaving from the flagpole all over the city.

This year the 11th of June will be the highlight Tel Aviv's pride month, with the biggest parade ever.

More on Michael Lucas

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BRICUP writes to Sir Elton

British Committee for Universities of Palestine send open letter to singer asking that he cancel summer concert in Israel, refer him to Goldstone Report.

Here is their open letter and a link to their website;

http://www.bricup.org.uk/documents/cultural/EltonJohn.pdf

Elton John Comes to Israel

Sir Elton John announced on Tuesday that he will be arriving in Israel for a single performance on June 17. This marks the British singer's second concert in Israel, the first of which took place 27 years ago in Hayarkon Park in Tel Aviv.

Tel Aviv Gay Purim Parade

This City is Hot!

Foreign Policy

They're Here, They're Queer, It's No Big Deal.

Gay Israelis have been serving openly in the military for seventeen years, and their country is safer for it.

Viewed from Israel, the continuing witch hunt against gays and lesbians in the U.S. military makes little sense. I have studied and written about the experience of gay soldiers in elite combat units of the Israel Defense Forces, where restrictions on gay enlistment were lifted in 1993, the same year the United States introduced the "don't ask, don't tell" policy requiring gay and lesbian servicemembers to say in the closet or risk being discharged. There has never been any suggestion that the participation of these men has hindered the performance of Israeli combat units.

The United States and Turkey are now the only NATO military powers that do not allow gays to serve openly, but Israel and other countries have shown that the participation of gay soldiers in combat units presents no risk for military effectiveness. What's more, acknowledging their presence might even improve unite cohesion.