US Embassy Branch In Tel Aviv Decorated For Pride Parade Despite Trump Ban

The U.S. Embassy Branch Office in Tel Aviv had rainbow decorations for Pride Month, despite a Trump Administration ban. Image by USEmbassyJerusalem/Twitter

By Marcy Oster June 13, 2019

JERUSALEM (JTA) — The U.S. Embassy branch office in Tel Aviv decorated its building with rainbow flag banners for the city’s Pride parade, ignoring a Trump administration ban on flying the Pride flag at diplomatic missions.

A photo of the building decked out in two rainbow banners and rainbow streamers was published on the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem’s official Twitter account on Thursday.

“The U.S. Embassy Branch Office in Tel Aviv is ready for the PRIDE parade tomorrow!” the tweet said.

Prior to Pride Month, the Trump administration issued an official ban on U.S. embassies flying the signature rainbow flag on their flagpoles. Four U.S. embassies reportedly were explicitly denied permission to fly a Pride flag, including Israel. The other three are Germany, Brazil and Latvia.

“(W)hen it comes to the American flagpole, and American embassies, and capitals around the world, one American flag flies,” Vice President Mike Pence told NBC news earlier this week when asked about the ban.

U.S. diplomats in Jerusalem reportedly joined the city’s Pride parade last week, according to Haaretz.

The U.S. Embassy Branch Office in Tel Aviv is ready for the PRIDE parade tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/pmc50wBli8

— USEmbassyJerusalem (@usembassyjlm) June 13, 2019

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