# Queer advocacy in the Israel–Hamas War

Queer advocacy during the Israel–Hamas War has remained a significantly contentious topic. Many queer people allied themselves with pro-Palestinian causes, especially in protest movements against the ongoing war, against the alleged Gaza genocide.

## Background

The Israel–Hamas war has sparked protests, demonstrations, and vigils around the world. These events focused on a variety of issues related to the conflict, including demands for a ceasefire, an end to the Israeli blockade and occupation, return of Israeli hostages, protesting war crimes, and providing humanitarian aid to Gaza. Protests against Israeli action in Gaza were notably large across the Arab world. Since the war began on 7 October 2023, the number of dead has exceeded 30,000.
Some of the pro-Palestinian protests have resulted in violence and accusations of antisemitism, and consequently in some European countries, some public support for Palestine and the Palestinian cause was criminalized, with countries such as France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Hungary restricting pro-Palestinian political speech. Germany banned fundraising, the displaying of the Palestinian flag and the wearing of the keffiyeh. The conflict also sparked large protests at Israeli and U.S. embassies around the world.

## Pro-Palestinian queer advocacy

Queer pro-Palestinian voices have called Israeli usage of the Pride flag, and advocacy of queer rights, as pinkwashing, especially when attempting to bolster their image globally. Pro-Israeli voices argue that queer and trans Palestinians face significant repression in the Palestinian territories, while Israel has significant protections for queer people. In response, Pro-Palestinian voices also point out hypocrisy of arguing that Palestinian views on homosexuality are generally repressive when far-right Israeli ministers push homophobic discourse. Pro-Palestinian voices have also pointed out hypocrisy of celebrating equal rights for queer people when Palestinians "don’t have equal rights as humans" and when queer Palestinians face significant violence from the war and from Israel exploiting their sexuality. Queer Palestinians who attempt to seek asylum in Israel continue to face significant racism, and may be barred from the healthcare system and from residence permits. One queer Palestinian professor, Sa'ed Atshan, argues that it is "very dangerous to pathologize Palestinian society as uniquely homophobic" and "uniquely bigoted on collective level", suggesting that it dehumanizes and stigmatizes Palestinians.
Many queer pro-Palestinians have protested due to sympathy with the humanitarian crisis as a result of the war, claiming shared goals between Queer liberation and Palestinian liberation.

### Queers for Palestine

Many queer groups have come out for advocacy with Palestine against Israel, with queer journalists resigning from the NYTimes over coverage, and many queer entertainers publicly announcing support for Palestine. One anonymous social media group, Queers for Palestine, has formed to track which queer advocacy groups have signed a "No Pride in Genocide" statement. Many pro-Israeli writers have dismissed the increase in advocacy, arguing that being queer for Palestine is similar to "chickens for KFC", as Palestinian society remains conservative against queer rights. As a result of increased pro-Palestinian activism, many Israeli comedy sketch shows began airing comedy bits lampooning the supposed hypocrisy by suggesting Hamas fighters would throw student protesters off of buildings.

### Response from queer Jews

One opinion writer at The Jerusalem Post wrote that Queers for Palestine had caused significant pain and betrayal for many queer Jews and Israelis. They also condemned some of the queer Jews who supported Queers for Palestine due to accepting "the false leftist binary of ... the oppressed and oppressor". A queer rabbi argued that despite his opposition against occupation of the West Bank, he felt that framing of the issue by many queers was reductive, which had pushed him away from participating in some queer spaces. Another queer Jewish writer has argued that Jewish and queer backgrounds of suffering is the context for pro-Palestinian activism by many queer Jews during the war.
Many queer Jews, both Zionist and non-Zionist, have sought support from queer Jewish advocacy groups during the conflict. Both groups have described fallouts with various communities due to their intersecting beliefs.

### Other groups

The ACT UP NY has helped organized significant advocacy and protests for Palestine and to call for a ceasefire in the war. The chapter has also endorsed the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.
One group, Queers Undermining Israeli Terrorism, has organized multiple protests as a result of the war, including "to pressure the local LGBTQIA+ film festival to stop taking money from the Israeli consulate, and performed street theater to support Boycott Divestment and Sanctions."
Pro-Palestinian queers have also been calling for other queer advocacy groups to also endorse ceasefires, such as GLAAD and Human Rights Campaign.

## Pro-Israeli queer advocacy

As a result of the ongoing Israel–Hamas war hostage crisis, Tel Aviv cancelled its 2024 Pride Parade celebration. Many pro-Israeli queers have felt unease in some queer spaces as a result of queer pro-Palestinian advocacy.

## Protests
### Pride counter-protests

During various Pride parades in 2024, while the war was ongoing, some groups organized counter-marches for Palestine. Many Dyke marches became explicit call outs against ongoing conflicts, such as "in Palestine, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Myanmar, Sudan and Ukraine."
During Philadelphia's Pride Parade, queer counter protesters disrupted the march, with one video showing the Philly Pride Parade being stopped in the middle of the march. At one point, the pro-Palestinian protesters faced off against the drumline. Protesters were noted to be chanting various slogans such as "No pride in genocide".
Queer pro-Palestinian activists called for a boycott of San Francisco Pride in 2024 due to the presence of corporate sponsors, police, and appointing Billy Porter, who had made pro-Israeli statements, as a grand marshal. Other pro-Palestinian groups also called for boycotts. SF Pride's executive directors' called the boycotts the results of misinformation. An alternative "No pride in genocide" march was held by queers to protest San Francisco Pride, with more than a thousand participants. SF Pride received criticism from pro-Israeli groups when they posted a statement suggesting an Israeli float would be barred from participating in the march. They later clarified that there had been no Israeli float registered by the deadline, and that they "practice radical inclusion as a core value."
In Boston, over 100 protestors blocked the Boston Pride parade. 2 protestors were detained by Boston police. Over 60 pro-Palestinian organizations called for Boston Pride to divest from companies they said had ties to Israel.
Pro-Palestinian activists affiliated with Writers Against the War on Gaza temporarily blocked the NYC Pride March in 2024 when several protesters breached the barricade and painted the streets red. Activists led a "call and response" chant with the parade audience, until NYPD arrested 10 of the activists. The parade also had pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian marchers. Two of the Pride March's grand marshalls claimed that Israel had been committing a genocide during the war.

### Other protests

Three members of Queers for Palestine were arrested on May 11 on a road to Disneyland after barricading traffic.