As a gay Israeli, I can't believe it. There is a difference between advertising Tel Aviv as a gay vacation spot, which it is - and this! It's like saying all we do is f...! Really stupid idea that makes us look so stupid, except in the eyes of Yaakov Sullivan, the nude salsa dancer. He may like it.

Big deal. Maybe stupid but people do have sex.

Not just for gays and men who want to pay for sex. if you're a woman, and American/British men won't give you the time of day, take a vacation to Israel. I did, and I got more male attention than I had gotten in my whole life. It was wonderful. The men are gorgeous: masculine and unafraid. Not like their Western counterparts.

keep your venomous comments about sodom and gamorah to yourself, as a gay man i find your comments offensive. Prehaps you should learn to face your homophobia and hatred towards your fellow jews and human beings. How strange where were your comments when students ran naked through Jerusalem the other day?

That seems to be the only way to restore the dignity of the Tourism Ministry.

Welcome to Tel Aviv, Gay Capital of the World. At least, the Tourism Board is trying to prevent the spreading of STD's.

How can you make such a statement?? Just because there are those marching around in Jerusalem with 6 and 7 toddlers tagging along, does that indicate they had sex at any time?? Oh well, you can fool some of the people..........

In an otherwise depressing and embarassing article, you managed to put a big smile on my face. I had no idea we are perceived like this by American women...

The Tourism Ministry is always right. Each year tourism gets more and more wonderful in Israel - just refer to the Tourism Ministry statistics. Long live the Tourism Ministry!!!!

See the bright side, at least Israel is protecting itself from AIDS and other venereal diseases. One has to be a dumb mind to associate Israel with wild sex, and if it does is better that when they love to say "Israel regime nazi, genocide and the like

Maybe if they referred to the Israeli preferred size as 'ha-gadol' instead of 'The Goliath' it would have made some of the religious types happier?

thats what you should expect when getting free stuff. damn tourist ministry-they ruined some of the agent's surprise to their wives. one way or another, the wives will become happy....some way...

I had a couple of Jewish girlfriends in Chicago back in the 90s and they both revealed that one of the key reasons we hooked up was that they had such a poor opinion of their male Jewish counterparts here in the States; that the US Jewish male was, in their opinion, just too damn twitty, wimpy, & "un-masculine". Fascinating to hear a completely opposing opinion from a different geographical point.

We didn't let the Beatles in... Now we are sending condoms to England. Things sure change. - Maybe they were supposed to be chewing gum packets and somebody misread the instreations and sent a different kind of goomy.

Sir. People all over the world accuse Muslims of intollerance. Why would you play into this misconseption? Even I as a proud gay Muslim man would support this move by Israel. Once upon a time there were no womem heads of states. In the near future I hope to see a head of state who is a gay not to mention a gay Muslim woman. Please open your mind to new possibilities.

I think you'll find that most people have a very unrealistic view of what Israel is like. In fact, all I can tell you is that my Israeli husband once told me that Israelis do things on the beach that Americans wouldn't do in their bedrooms. So take it for what it's worth.

Hey, Buddy! Haven't seen you around here in ages. Nice to see you here.

do NOT prevent HIV transmission since the HIV virus is much smaller than the latex, sort of like trying to stop bb's with a chain link fence.

beaches in Israel, but I did look at the sands and sea and people from a distance.

Well, this is the same office that recently produced a film that presents Christianity as the true religion of Israel and pandered to the pope.

It's a case where they promoted the country in this way to the wrong audience. Actually, tourism ministry should not have even promoting the country in this way. There are many things that one can see and do in Tel Aviv: 1) International style architecture 2) One can walk down in the center of town to shop. 3) Since it is the city's 100th anniversary, there is a museum that goes over the city's history. 4) More by the airport, there is Mini Israel. Sometimes, there are concerts there. 5) Of course, there is the beach. If condoms were going to be handed out, that should be done at bars or other venues where people go to party. At least that way, it could save some lives.

I had no idea that Jeiwsh men were perceived as wimpy and unmasculine here in the US as some posters have said. All my friends that are jewish work out far more than my non-Jewish ones and are much bigger in terms of muscle mass. In fact my Israeli fiance insists I go to the beaches when we go to Israel so she can show me off. I really didn't know Jewish men were perceived as wimps. That is shocking to me and I bet my Jewish friends would be equally shocked. But on the issue of the article I agree the danger of turning Israel into a sex tourist site is too real and dangerous.This was a poorly thought out marketing strategy and yes those behind it should be fired due to the likely irreparable damage they did to israel's reputation.

To think that muscle mass equals masculinity is one of the ways where American men go wrong- thinking that it can be aquired at the gym or bought with the right lifestyle brand of car, condo or alchoholic beverage (or maybe a cowboy hat or 50 hunting rifles for the gentile male?). In America you have either a fake advertising-created brand of masculinity, or a tippy-toe-around-you eunuch-type sensitivity. Anyway, to relate this somehow to the article: the men in Israel differ from the American ones in a very good way. So girls, pack your bags and don't forget those condoms your travel agent gave you.

I cannot speak on how it stands in Israel, but trust me, as someone who has dated a no. of Jewish gals here in the States, they were delighted to pass time with a gentile male, and muscle mass definitely seemed to work in my favor. I only related earlier what they told me. I do not recall religion ever causing them, or me, a problem or obstacle between us. Interesting views on the matter. Sorry you have the bad luck to be marking time in Kansas, #54.

Sorry. Maybe your right. Perhaps I don't get it. Women are mysterious creatures. But for MY fiance and most of the girls I've known muscles=masculinity. But I must admit I never understood the car thing either. I don't know whether its the muscles or something else, but a great deal of women do find Israeli men attractive. The M16 perhaps? Joking....I'm pretty sure for every women its something different. I guess masculinity is in the eye of the beholder.

CLEAR NOW WHY THERES NO TOURISM PEOPLE DONT NEED TO BE HANDED A CONDOM INSULT FOR PROMOTION OF A COUNTRY THAT NEEDS TOURISM

#47: Oh really. As a matter of fact, as a resident of Ashdod, most of what I can find on the beaches here are elderly Russian immigrants, or loud families. Even if someone wanted to do something on the beach at night, there is too little of it, and too many people, to find any real privacy. I'm sure there are couples who like to add some outdoors flavor to their intimacy, but not any more so than in any other western country. Your husband talked nonsense. Rivkah: so after the Russo-Canadian ploy to invade America, after the poisonous canola oil conspiracy, after the suggestion to arm all airline passengers with guns in order to protect against hijacking, and who knows how many other pearls from you, now we have the HIV virus permeating through latex. Well, let's check what the Center for Disease Control (definitely a reliable enough source) has to say about this matter: "Numerous studies of discordant couples (where only one partner is infected) have shown consistent use of latex condoms to be highly effective for preventing sexually acquired HIV infection....Overall, the preponderance of available epidemiologic studies have found that when used consistently and correctly, condoms are highly effective in preventing the sexual transmission of HIV infection and reduce the risk of other STDs.... Laboratory studies have demonstrated that latex condoms provide an essentially impermeable barrier to particles the size of HIV." http://www.cdc.gov/condomeffectiveness/latex.htm In other words, Rivkah, once again you talk utter rubbish.

we can hand out rubbers as a way to encourage people to come visit our nation. Hey, that's a great idea- let's do it. Gay tourism is on the rise- pun intended. Enjoy having this demographic come to your country.