Israel Matzav

And the gay community still supports the 'Palestinians'?

Of all the groups that demonstrate against us across the board overseas, perhaps the least understandable group is the gays and lesbians. Do these people realize how their compatriots are treated in the 'Palestinian Authority' and in the Arab world generally? Do they understand how differently they are treated in Israel? Please consider this story, which is really not so unusual.

Recently, T.'s father, who lives in a West Bank village, fell ill, and his son wanted to go visit him. Because going to the village is life-threatening for him because residents there are not willing to accept his sexual orientation, a father-son meeting was held outside of the village.

About ten days ago, T. entered the West Bank via one of the checkpoints. His sick father, accompanied by his mother, waited for him a short distance from the checkpoint. It was an emotional meeting. The family members finally got to see one another and T. gave them a sum of money that he had been saving for them.

However, following the brief meeting, all started to go wrong. T. started making his way back to Israel, but was surprised to discover at the checkpoint that he was not allowed re-entry. Even though he is currently under consideration for family unification and despite the fact that a yearly temporary residence permit was authorized for him, it was decided not to allow him back into Israel for security considerations.

T. found himself in an impossible situation: he was not allowed to return to his home in Israel, but returning to his parents' home in the village would put his life in danger. Left with no other choice, he turned to the only person he knew in the area who could help him – a religious settler who has known him for some years. The man decided to give asylum to T. even though he knew it would not be looked upon favorably in the settlement.

So, this is how it came to be that T., a gay Palestinian, has been hiding out in the home of a religious Jewish family in a settlement.

Undoubtedly, this would be played in the foreign media as "Israel won't let this guy go home." But the truth is that this guy wouldn't be alive in the 'Palestinian Authority' and after ten years of being what would be called an 'illegal immigrant' in most of the world, he's being considered for family reunification (read: a permanent residency permit on the basis of marriage) in Israel. Where else could that happen?

Finally - and most importantly - look who's saving this guy's life. Look who's sheltering him. A religious Jewish 'settler' - one of the most vilified types of people in the world. No, religious Judaism doesn't condone homosexuality. It doesn't condone murdering innocent people or handing them over to be killed by others either.

We say to God: Mi k'amcha Yisrael? Who is like your people Israel?

The next time you see 'Queers for Palestine' and people of that ilk demonstrating against the Jewish state, think about this story. And read the whole thing.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:56 PM