Abstract
Throughout the Muslim world, homosexuality is a taboo, punishable in several countries by death. On the West Bank and Gaza, women and men who have sex with people of the same sex face imprisonment and torture. While on a recent trip to look at how the Middle East conflict was affecting individuals, I met several of these Palestinian gays and lesbians. They talked to me about the experience of being caught up between religion, prejudice and politics. No one knows how many gays and lesbians have been tortured by the Palestinian Authority (PA): most victims are too ashamed and afraid to come forward. Gays and lesbians have also been tried by Palestinian courts because of their sexuality.