A pro-Palestinian campaign by far-left U.S. Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., has hit an abrupt obstacle: a ban by the Palestinian Authority on the activities and events of LGBT activists.
Tlaib and Omar have made much ado in recent days about Israel banning them entry for their support for the Boycott, Divest, Sanction movement that seeks to banish trade with the Jewish state and ultimately eliminate the Middle East democracy.
Omar and Tlaib had boycotted an organized congressional delegation visit to set up their own trip, sponsored partly by Miftah, which was described by David French at National Review as a promoter of "vile anti-Semitism," including the "blood libel" that Jews use "the blood of Christians in the Jewish Passover."
Tlaib then complained she wanted to visit her grandmother in the area, and the Israeli government granted her a humanitarian visa. She then refused.
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House Democrats, meanwhile, were considering how to retaliate against Israel for its decision to banish those who seek its destruction.
Now, there's a new twist. Palestinian Media Watch reports the Palestinian Authority has made it clear that anyone organizing LGBT activities will be arrested and charged for violating "the highest ideals and values of the Palestinian society," according to PA police spokesman Luay Erziqat.
The PA daily Al Ayyam reported a planned "rainbow gathering" got the attention of police, who vowed to "prevent any activity by the homosexual group."
PMW observed that the PA's targeting of members of the LGBTQ community makes it "incomprehensible that some LGBTQ groups around the world support the Palestinian Authority and are even active in the BDS-Boycott, Divest and Sanction movement against Israel."
Washington Examiner columnist Brad Polombo wrote that the development illustrates the "blatant hypocrisy of supposedly progressive Democrats supporting an illiberal Palestinian Authority government over our Israeli allies."
"After all, members of 'the squad' such as Tlaib and Omar have come down firmly on the side of Palestine in the conflict, falsely painting Israel as their 'oppressors' and in Omar's case, even invoking anti-Semitic rhetoric in her criticisms of Israel. But just today the Jerusalem Post reports that Palestine, in all its progressive glory, is banning gay and transgender activism from the West Bank."
Some members of the LGBTQ group "now fear for their lives," he noted.
"This is the society that Tlaib, Omar, and company vociferously defend. Such vicious anti-gay intolerance betrays everything the progressive women claim to stand for, and reveals the dysfunctionality of their intersectional worldview. "
He said the Palestinian territories "are a hellhole for gay people."
"This is especially true in the Gaza Strip, populated by Palestinians and governed by an unelected Hamas government. There, homosexuality is punishable by death. According to Amnesty International, 'lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people were subjected to arbitrary arrest and ill-treatment.'"
Twitter news aggregator Twitchy commented: "Since travel to the West Bank is in the news, shouldn't this be getting attention?"
"So when will AOC and The Squad hold a press conference to call this out?"
Waiting for the joint @IlhanMN - @RashidaTlaib statement that will never come calling for a boycott..... https://t.co/AFzGjty2nH
— Adam Kredo (@Kredo0) August 18, 2019
Boy just wait until AOC and the Squad hear about this -- I bet they're going to demand a boycott of Palestine!
Ha ha ha just kidding, they're not going to say a word. https://t.co/Ato6g2OWhe
— Noah Pollak (@NoahPollak) August 18, 2019
Twitchy noted how LGBT "folks are treated in Israel."
Tel Aviv Pride is huge. Gigantic actually. I am so thankful Israel stands firmly for LGBT rights in a region that doesn’t. https://t.co/kz9Y8NK2ph
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) August 18, 2019