Queer Jihad In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful! http://www.well.com/user/queerjhd/reading.htm Al-Fatiha Foundation is dedicated to Muslims who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, questioning, those exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity, and their allies, families and friends. Al- Fatiha promotes the progressive Islamic notions of peace, equality and justice. http://www.al-fatiha.net/
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http://www.petertatchell.net/ GAYS ATTCKED AT PALESTINIAN RIGHTS PROTEST
Attempt to silence debate on murder of gay people
London – UK – 15 May 2004
Lesbians and gay men from OutRage! and the Queer Youth Alliance joined today’s demonstration in London to support the human rights of the people of Palestine. But they also urged the Palestinian Authority to halt the arrest, torture and murder of homosexuals.
They marched with placards reading: “Israel: stop persecuting Palestine. Palestine: stop persecuting queers”.
As soon as they arrived in Trafalgar Square to join the demonstration, the gay protesters were surrounded by an angry, shouting mob of Islamic fundamentalists, Anglican priests, members of the Socialist Workers Party and the Stop The War Coalition, and officials from the demonstration organisers, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC). The mob variously attacked the gay activists as “racists”, “Zionists”, “CIA and MI5 agents”, and “supporters of the Sharon government”.
PSC organisers asked OutRage! and the Queer Youth Alliance to “stand at the back of the demonstration”. When they refused, PSC officials and stewards blocked out the gay placards with their own PSC banners and shouted down the gay campaigners as they tried to speak to journalists and other protesters.
Despite this attempt at censorship, most people at the Palestine protest expressed no hostility towards OutRage! and the Queer Youth Alliance. Some offered positive support.
“We call on the Palestine Liberation Organisation and the Palestinian Authority to condemn homophobia, uphold queer human rights, and to order an immediate end to the abuse of lesbian and gay Palestinians”, said OutRage! protester, Brett Lock.
“Having experienced the pain of homophobia, we deplore the suffering inflicted on Palestinians by the Israeli government”.
“Both Islamophobia and homophobia are intolerable. Upholding the principle of universal human rights, we support Palestinian human rights and we call on the people of Palestine to respect the human rights of lesbians and gay men”.
Fellow OutRage! protester, Peter Tatchell, added:
“Gay Palestinians live in fear of arrest, detention without trial, torture and execution at the hands of Palestinian police and security services. They also risk abduction and so-called honour killing by vengeful family members and vigilante mobs, as well as punishment beatings and murder by Palestinian political groups such as Hamas and Yasser Arafat’s Fatah movement”.
“These abuses have been revealed by the independent human rights watchdogs B’Tselem, the Society for the Protection of Personal Rights, and the Association for Civil Rights. They are also corroborated by the Israeli gay rights groups Aguda and Open House, which help gay Palestinian refugees”.
The abuse of Palestinian gays has been confirmed by two senior Palestine Liberation Organisation officials in conversations with the OutRage! activist, Peter Tatchell.
“Both officials expressed personal regret concerning these abuses but said their liberal views were not shared by the majority of PLO officials and supporters”, said Mr Tatchell.
“For over 30 years I have supported the Palestinian struggle for national liberation, but I cannot remain silent while the PLO, Hamas and the Palestinian Authority are abducting, brutalising and murdering lesbian and gay Palestinians. Freedom for Palestine must be freedom for all Palestinians – straight and gay. Unless we challenge the abuse of queer human rights now, this violent homophobia will become entrenched in a new Palestinian state and Palestinian leaders will be emboldened to abuse the rights of other Palestinian citizens”, said Tatchell.