Posted on 11/01/2023 11:01:05 AM PDT by nickcarraway
Gay and transgender people—both in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank—face an extraordinary level of persecution.
The Israel-Hamas war has made political allies out of some unusual bedfellows. Yet the strangest pairing on display thus far is probably "Queers for Palestine," most notably because those protesters would risk summary execution should they take their demonstration to the Gaza Strip.
The movement isn't new. But following the terrorist attacks launched against Israel by Hamas, the Palestinian group that controls Gaza, it has seen a sort of reemergence at various protests. "Queer rights! Trans rights!" protesters are heard chanting in a video taken in New York City. "We say no to genocide!"
That protesters appear to be blaming Israel for those attacks—which have included, among other things, Hamas militants murdering people, filming those acts, and putting the videos on social media for the victims' families and friends to see—is perverse. But to marry that cause to LGBT rights is simply unhinged from reality.
Indeed, gay and transgender people—both in Gaza and the West Bank—face an extraordinary level of persecution, persecution that may result in a yearslong prison sentence or even death.
In 2016, Hamas militants executed one of their own commanders, Mahmoud Ishtiwi, for allegedly having sex with another man. Ishtiwi's allegiance to the group was clear: Just two years prior, he had overseen 1,000 soldiers and an assortment of attack tunnels. But not even his loyalty could save him after they lodged accusations he had engaged in homosexual activity. Prior to executing him with three bullets to the chest, Hamas reportedly tortured him by whipping him, hanging him from a ceiling for hours, and cranking loud music into his cell in order to deprive him of sleep.
Last year, in the West Bank, 25-year-old Ahmed Abu Marhia's severed head was found on the side of the road after he was murdered for being gay. The killer videoed the execution and shared it on social media.
When it comes to "Queers for Palestine," what's richly ironic is that many LGBT Palestinians seek asylum in Israel—the same country these stateside protesters are rallying against.
At the heart of this contradiction is the tendency within social justice movements to pick a clear protagonist and antagonist, the oppressed and the oppressor, and to proceed from there in one-size-fits-all fashion. Some progressives decided long ago that Palestine is the former and Israel is the latter, which is the seed from which everything must grow. Palestine, then, stands not only for anti-colonialism but also LGBT rights and reproductive rights, despite that those rights, in any meaningful sense of the word, do not actually exist there.
Meanwhile, this orthodoxy requires that Israel symbolize a weed and everything that comes with it. The country, then, must typify genocide, regardless of the fact that it has been the victim of relentless terror attacks this month. And it has to represent a hostility toward minorities, including gay and transgender people, notwithstanding that it is one of the most tolerant societies for those very people.
To be sure, Israel's government isn't perfect. There are aspects of the Israel-Palestine debate, and the territorial disputes, that are more complex than many would probably like to admit. This aspect? Not so much, because "Queers for Palestine" is about as convincing as "minks for fur coats."
What could go wrong?
They are short-term “useful idiots,” that’s all. United with Islamists by a brief and tangential hatred of the West and its cultural standards.
Until they start getting thrown off the tops of buildings.
capture each Palestinian queer, tattoo the pride flag on them, then send em back. Let nature finish the job!
One of the best/ worst jokes I heard lately was..
“The men’s tampon dispencer is located on the top floor”
They better have their parachutes on before going over to praise their heroes.
Can’t wait until Ham azz teaches them that the old law of gravity is strictly enforced in Gaza lol.
Yeah, but, pretty soon, there aren't going to be any multi-story buildings left in Gaza ...
Well I suppose if you believe in all sorts of imaginary genders you can believe that queers can fly. And in fact in Islamic countries they do. It’s just that they haven’t quite got the hang of landing yet.
And on that subject the word “homophobia” annoys me. It implies that people are afraid of queers. Personally I’m not in the least bit afraid of them. Bored to tears by them and revolted by them but not afraid. I propose a new term homotaedia meaning bored of queers to replace the phobia tetm
There’s that.
Good idea!
This goes to show JUST HOW STUPID college students are today!! ALL the money they spend to become utter complete idiots!!!
capture each Palestinian queer, tattoo the pride flag on them, then send em back. Let nature finish the job!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Not just the queers but any “Palestinian” captured. The allusion is enough proof to convict, in weak Arab minds.
The muzzies would torture the suspected queer in a more severe manner than more compassionate Israelis could dream up.
I’m a direct descendant of John Brown, yes THAT John Brown. The muzzies could have taught my old great grand pappy a thing or two about torture and terrorism.
Brown & the muzzies engaged in terrorism for the same reason, Their “god/allah”
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