Come on people...gay pride parades are about fighting oppression. They should not show support towards any group that openly embarrasses violence, that suppresses and chokes a whole country and that shamelessly produces excuses and justifications for its acts. You can't go and march at a gay pride parade and then be part of a system that is systematically killing a whole country.

The only gay pride I can recall being cancel by the organizers because of 'security' was Israel World Pride. Madrid Gay pride has always been under thread of Franquistas, fascist and muslin radicals. How is this any different?

This is ridiculous. It's a gay pride parade; anyone who shares pro-gay views should be allowed to participate, regardless of national origin or views on other issues. Furthermore, when you compare the treatment of gay men and women in Israel to the systematic abuses which they are suffering in Palenstine, I find it both sad and ironic that any gay man or woman could support a regime which actively persecutes our brethren and disparage Israel, which has been the gay rights leader in the Middle East.

It's sad that the Israeli gay group can't attend. but it is entirely undertsandable why the Israeli Foreign Ministry is barred. They are supporters of the IDF terror organisation and have no place being invited to other countries. They would simply try to defend Israeli terrorism. Spain doesn't want these terrorists, so good for them.

A lot of people om discussion bards quote your statement "The Israeli delegation, made up of members of the LGBT association and the Foreign Ministry, " No other medias report this. In stead they mention that the bus was sponsored by the Tel Aviv Municipality. Could you please confirm which it ist to be - The Tel Aviv Municipality, or the Foreign Ministry - or both? Would there, if it were the case that the Israeli Foreign Ministry hade anything to do with this, be any official representatives for the MInistry taking part in the parade? Awaiting your reply. Thank you.

ynet writes. "Gay bus The Tel Aviv Municipality together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the gay center are working on a plan to purchase a bus which will shuttle between gay festivals in Europe and promote Israel's international image." So this bus was actually an Israeli government funded propaganda stunt to promote Israel's image? Suddenly the Spanish reaction becomse a bit more understandable. Sounds very much like an official Israeli representation to me ....