PA chasing down homosexuals
PA police: Gay activities are "a violation of the highest ideals and values of the Palestinian society."
"The police will prevent any activity by the homosexual group."
"Police are searching for the organizers of this [gay] gathering - and they will be transferred to the legal authorities the moment they are caught."
Police called on Palestinians "to contact the police and report any person who has a connection to this [gay rights] organization."
The Palestinian Authority has made its stance regarding LGBTQ very clear: those organizing homosexuals activities will be arrested and charged for violating "the highest ideals and values of the Palestinian society, said PA police spokesman, Luay Erziqat."
The PA daily Al Ayyam reported yesterday on the PA police response to a planned LGBTQ event in a Palestinian city:
Headline: "The [PA] police act to prevent an attempt to hold a gathering of homosexuals in the West Bank"
"The Palestinian [Authority] police announced yesterday [Aug. 17, 2019] that it is pursuing a group that intends to hold a gathering of homosexuals in the West Bank. It emphasized that it will prevent this and accused 'dubious parties' of being behind the matter.
In a statement published on the police’s official website, Police Spokesman Luay Erziqat was quoted as saying that the police are searching for the organizers of this gathering - and they will be transferred to the legal authorities the moment they are caught.'
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Erziqat said to AFP (Agence France-Presse) that 'the police are seeking a group of homosexuals that has begun preparations for a gathering they called a "rainbow gathering" on the internet.'
He added that the police 'will prevent any activity by the homosexual group called "Al-Qaws" (i.e., rainbow).'
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The spokesman explained in a previous statement that 'Such activities are considered a violation of the highest ideals and values of the Palestinian society.'
Erziqat blamed 'dubious parties who are attempting to stir up strife and harm the public order of the Palestinian society,' but he did not note who these parties are.
He called on Palestinians 'to contact the police and report any person who has a connection to this organization.'"Al-Ayyam, Aug. 18, 2019
Given that the the PA is openly pursues members of the LGBTQ community, it is incomprehensible that some LGBTQ groups around the world support the Palestinian Authority and are even active in the BDS -Boycott, Divest and Sanction movement against Israel.
A statement published on the Facebook page of the Israel based alQaws organization for Sexual & Gender Diversity in Palestinian Society said the PA police announcement came in response to activities organized by the group.
In the last few months, different cities around Israel have hosted "gay pride parades" and Tel Aviv is often referred to as one of the most LGBTQ-friendly cities in the world.
While reports regarding the Palestinian LGBTQ community don’t often appear in the official PA controlled media, reports from different sources have highlighted that the Palestinian leadership - both the PA and Hamas - prohibits LGBTQ activities. In many cases, members of the community have even expressed fear for their lives.
Note: "alQaws for Sexual & Gender Diversity in Palestinian Society is a group of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning and queer (LGBTQ) Palestinian activists and allies. An open queer and feminist space, alQaws inspires and engages its community to disrupt sexual and gender-based oppression and challenge regulation, whether patriarchal, capitalist or colonial, of our sexualities and bodies. alQaws works collaboratively to transform Palestinian society’s perspectives on gender and sexual diversity, LGBT issues, and to struggle for broader social justice."