Israel has its first openly gay leader of a political party following the election of former lawmaker and journalist Nitzan Horowitz as head of the leftwing Meretz.
It comes weeks after the appointment of Israel's first openly gay minister with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's choice of Amir Ohana as acting justice minister.
Israel has presented itself as a pioneer in LGBT rights in the region, but homosexuality is deeply rejected by conservative religious parties whose support Netanyahu is likely to need in order to form his next government.
It has also been accused of "pinkwashing", or pushing its reputation for tolerance, in an effort to restore a liberal image tarnished by its occupation of Palestinian territories.
An April vote saw Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing and religious allies win a majority.
In April the party managed to cross the electoral threshold requiring 3.25 percent of the vote to enter the Knesset, where it holds four of the 120 seats.
"We are ready to cooperate with the other parties of the left in the next elections," Horowitz said in a speech after his win on Thursday night.
Israel has the most open attitude to homosexuality in the Middle East, with a large and influential gay community.
In 2002, parliament got its first openly gay member while this April's polls saw the election of five gay lawmakers.
