At rally, Trump mocks ‘Gays for Palestine’ over abuses in ‘that part of the world’
US president jokes that members of the movement should be sent over as negotiators: ‘You’ll never see them again’
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
US President Donald Trump mocked LGBTQ activists in the pro-Palestinian movement on Saturday over rights abuses against members of the community in “that part of the world.”
In remarks at a midterm campaign rally in Mobile, Alabama, Trump said that he had recently heard of what he called the “Gays for Palestine” movement. (Activists usually refer to themselves as “Queers for Palestine.”)
“Gays for Palestine, how about that,” Trump said. “I saw it today, and I said, ‘Wait a minute.'”
“Do you know what they do to gay people in that part of the world? Let’s send them over someday to negotiate. You’ll never see them again. I don’t want to tell you, but they do things you wouldn’t believe.”
Although LGBTQ Palestinians have become more outspoken in recent years, gay rights remain highly controversial in Palestinian society. Palestinians who come out face societal rejection, abuse, and threats to their lives.
Earlier this year, an Israeli aid group that assists Palestinian LGBTQ asylum seekers published a study that found discrimination against gays is both institutionalized and deeply ingrained in Palestinian society.
While there are no Palestinian Authority laws on the books that ban homosexual acts, and although the PA has largely remained silent on the issue in recent years, the study argued that severe persecution of LGBTQ Palestinians — both within their families and by public institutions — has continued, in some cases escalating to attempted murder.
Trump:
I saw a group of people, “Gays for Palestine.” Let’s send them over someday to negotiate.
You will never see them again. They do things that you wouldn’t believe in. pic.twitter.com/CmZjMqTh5E
— Clash Report (@clashreport) October 3, 2026
In Gaza, which is ruled by the Hamas terror group, homosexual activity is illegal and carries a punishment of up to 10 years in prison, according to the Equaldex website, which tracks LGBTQ rights around the world.
Israel provides some temporary residency permits for Palestinians fleeing persecution in the West Bank. Most of the passes have historically gone to Palestinians who worked with the Israeli security services. These are eligible for permanent residency in Israel.
However, the study found that conditions for gay Palestinians in Israel have worsened since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, with tighter restrictions on residency permits and growing hostility from segments of Israeli society and state authorities.
The Times of Israel Community.