Ahmed Abu Markhiya
News from the NOS•today, 11:17
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Brock League
correspondent Israel / Palestinian territories
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Brock League
correspondent Israel / Palestinian territories
It was a terrible murder last Wednesday in the Palestinian city of Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Ahmed Abu Markhiya, 25, was killed with a sharp object and beheaded. A video of the murder was uploaded to social media, allegedly by the perpetrator, and sparked widespread horror.
The murder case took on an extra dimension when it was soon reported that the victim had been threatened for years because of his homosexuality. Israeli media reported that in recent years he had been to various shelters in Israel, hoping to move to Canada to seek asylum there.
But according to the Palestinian police, much is still unclear about the exact circumstances of the murder. A spokesperson said he had arrested a suspect but declined to comment on a reason pending investigation. “It’s one of the worst cases I’ve ever encountered in my career,” the police spokesman said.
Abu Markhiya’s family issued a statement of condolence and asked for privacy after “this heinous and unprecedented crime”. A relative called the case against the Palestinian radio station Al Karama “too bad to talk about”.
Threats
The family said the victim usually resided in neighboring Jordan, where his late father was from, and was in Hebron to visit relatives. But other reports from Israel soon emerged. According to Israeli news sites, he fled his Palestinian homeland after being threatened because of his sexuality.
“He’s been living in shelter after shelter for the past few years,” said Rita Petrenko, an Israeli activist in the LGBTI community. She says she accompanied Abu Markhiya two years ago in his search for a safe haven.
According to the aid worker, he was threatened by his family and fellow villagers and was now living an anonymous life near Tel Aviv. “But even there he got threatened calls. He wasn’t sure who. But he’s always been positive about the future. Everyone is devastated that he’s been murdered now.”
Question about the reason
The murder was also widely hated and condemned on Palestinian news sites and social media. But the possible reason, the victim’s sexual orientation, is hardly or not discussed. Homosexuality is a taboo in the Palestinian community, where traditional and religious norms determine public life.
In recent years, for example, there have been several cases of mistreatment of homosexuals by the Palestinian police, reported by the interest group Al Qaws (“the rainbow”) among others. Meetings of that organization were also banned by the authorities. Al Qaws has not yet commented on the assassination of Abu Markhiya.
Other Palestinian LGBTI activists are also reluctant to talk about the issue. One of them says that much is still unclear about the case. But Abu Markhiya’s death appears to have a major impact. “The whole community is crying,” says activist Natali Farah the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. “Many LGBT people and Palestinian therapists knew and liked him. Now everyone is afraid.”
The US ambassador to Israel also condemned the killing of Abu Markhiya:
There are about a hundred gay Palestinians in Israeli reception centers, estimates Israeli-Palestinian MP Ibtisam Mara’ana-Menuhin. Israel promotes a liberal policy on LGBT rights, even as the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community condemns homosexuality. Tel Aviv, in particular, where a big Pride event is held every year, is considered a free refuge for homosexuals.
Incidentally, this leads to criticism from pro-Palestinian activists, who accuse Israel of a form of pink-wash. They would divert attention with LGBTI tolerance from the continued Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory and the violation of Palestinian rights.
commemorations
Although Israel helps with shelter for Palestinian homosexuals, it still does too little for them, says aid worker Petrenko. For example, victim Abu Markhiye has not received a work permit in Israel in recent years and has had to rely on Canada’s permit to obtain asylum there. According to her, that procedure was ongoing, but in the end it came too late.
In recent days, both at the shelter and elsewhere, there have been commemorations for 25-year-old Ahmed, Petrenko says. “We hope it leads to greater awareness of the position of people like him. Unfortunately, in the history of the LGBTI community, we have seen more often that something very bad has to happen before something gets better.”
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