The Palestinian Authority Has Banned All LGBT+ Activities In The West Bank
The Palestinian Authority Has Banned All LGBT+ Activities In The West Bank.
Al-Qaws, a group for sexual & gender diversity in the Palestinian society that supports LGBT+ Palestinians, was planning to hold a gathering for its members at the end of the month.
Luay Zreikat, a Palestinian spokesperson explains the decision to ban the group from operating, stating that the activities of the organization are “harmful to the higher values and ideals of Palestinian society”.
Zreikat warned that the Palestinian police will chase down those behind the Al-Qaws group (which is Arabic for ‘the bow’) and anyone connected to them.
In response, Al-Qaws vowed to continue its work despite serious challenges. “The Palestinian police announcement about our activities is very unfortunate,” the group said. “It’s very strange that they are accusing us of being a suspicious entity working to take apart Palestinian society. Al-Qaws is a Palestinian organization that has been operating since 2001, and is carrying out educational and professional programs on sexual and gender diversity. We totally reject the attempt to create an atmosphere of prosecution and intimidation, as well as threats of arrest.”
A member of the group has said that since the police announcement he and his friends have been receiving hundreds of threat and hate messages, mostly through facebook. “They are calling us traitors and corrupt people and many are calling for our execution. We are afraid for our lives,” he told The Jerusalem Post.
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