Such a remarkable story could only happen in the midst of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A young gay Palestinian man, who is in grave, life-threatening danger and cannot return to his home with his Israeli partner, was saved by a stranger who came to his aid – a religious West Bank settler. (full article…)

Look at this morally narcissistic story. Does the Israeli media also report that their noble military uses sexual identity as blackmail against Palestinians they hope to use as collaborators? Do they report that Palestinian/Israeli couples (of any sexual orientation) are barred from residence in that racist state?

But American gays and lesbians are still waiting in vain for Obama to fulfill his election promises. While the US in general is clearly heading in the direction of a relaxation of homophobic policies, the White House is shying away from the issue. Even worse, on some issues, it has actually put new stumbling blocks in the way of gay rights. (more…)

A group of prominent gay opinion-shapers from around the world are to visit Israel to grapple with the country’s sexuality issues on a five-day seminar centering around Tel Aviv’s gay pride parade, scheduled for Friday. (more…)

Somehow, I doubt they will report on the IDF’s practice of threatening gay Palestinians with exposure in their communities if they refuse to collaborate with the occupation.

During a Paris conference on gender and sexuality Friday Horowitz said, “I call on the Palestinian Authority from this conference to stop persecuting homosexuals. This situation is intolerable.” (more…)

He then added, “But Israel’s four-decades of brutality in the occupied territories is delightfully tolerable… Oh and there is also no such thing as homophobia in Israeli society. Thank you.”

Don’t you just love how the Israeli “left” never mentions the IDF’s practice of blackmailing Palestinian homosexuals with exposure if they refuse to collaborate?

It’s a delicate process, given the deep-seated taboo in Arab countries against even discussing homosexuality. Everyone from religious leaders to family members condemn homosexuality. (more…)

Yet Israel is a beacon of tolerance and freedom for homosexuals?

Gay marriage is to be permitted in the US state of Maine after a bill was passed by both houses of the state’s legislature and signed by the governor. Maine will be the fifth US state to allow gay marriage, after Connecticut, Massachusetts, Iowa and Vermont. (more…)

“We didn’t pay 37 million zlotys ($11 million) for the largest elephant house in Europe to have a gay elephant live there,” Michal Grzes, a conservative councillor in the city of Poznan in western Poland, was quoted as saying. (more…)

Sweden will allow gay couples to be legally married from next month.

But would any inaugural committee say to Jewish Americans, “We’re opening with an anti-Semite but closing the program with a rabbi, so don’t worry”? (more…)

Now this is the kind of heartwarming story I just love to hear about: Israel has granted a residency permit to a homosexual Palestinian man who said that his sexuality placed his life at risk.

Ah yes, remind us again how tolerant and civilized Israeli society is!

“In this case the man’s lawyer said his life was in danger because of his sexual preference,” said Peter Lerner, spokesman for the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, whose office comes under the defense establishment.

“On this basis we issued the temporary permit,” he said.

Of course, the article fails to mention the 2006 ruling by the High Court of Israel, effectively banning heterosexual marriages between Israeli and Palestinian couples by forbidding their right to live in Israel. Moreover, such couples are also unable to live in the occupied West Bank, from which Israeli citizens are forbidden under military dictates. (more…)