In October when Hamas attacked and murdered 1163 Israelis there was near universal support for Israel in the LGBTQ+ community. But 6 months later attitudes of support seem to be changing. An estimated 32,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war was declared. Even more shocking is that more than 14,000 of those deaths have been children. Queer Palestinian voices are at the forefront of resistance against Israeli’s Benjamin Netanyahu, with growing global LGBTQ+ support for ending the war. At the Queers for Palestine event in Northampton, Massachusetts, last year, transgender Palestinian activist Yaffa highlighted the devastating impact of Israeli actions in Gaza on LGBTQ+ individuals. Israel’s “pinkwashing” strategy, presenting itself as a gay-friendly nation, is met with resistance from queer groups combating exploitation for propaganda. Yaffa emphasizes that LGBTQ+ solidarity with Palestinians should hold Israel accountable. While the LGBTQ+ community in America seems to support queer Palestinians over Israel’s Pinkwashed LGBTQ+ agenda, Israel is labeling it as another form of Anti-Semitism. Criticism of Israel’s policies is gaining momentum amid growing opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Recent clashes with Hamas have intensified calls for a ceasefire. Netanyahu’s condemnation of increased scrutiny from the U.S. is adding to the tensions over his leadership. Queer God Squad stands with the LGBTQ+ community and true allies across the world while condemning harmful policies of every country, Israel, America, or any other country across the globe. We reject attempts to conflate criticism with antisemitism. Solidarity means holding oppressive regimes accountable, not targeting Jewish communities.
