Gay Palestinian Man Found Brutally Murdered

A gay man who fled Palestine for asylum in Israel has been found brutally murdered.

Trigger Warning: This story discusses the brutal murder of a gay man, which might be distressing to some readers. For 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or webchat.

On October 5, the dismembered and decapitated body of Ahmad Abu Murkhiyeh, 25, was found in the Palestinian city of Hebron.

He was last seen on the day of his murder, leaving for work from the hostel he was living at. 

In a report from the Associated Press, Palestinian police disclosed that Abu Murkhiyeh’s body was found near his family’s house.

Palestinian Police: Acquaintance Arrested

A spokesperson for the Palestinian police said that an acquaintance of the victim has been arrested in connection with the killing but no motive has been announced. 

According to Rita Petrenko, founder of Israeli gay rights organisation Al Bait Al Mokhtalef, Abu Murkhiyeh left Palestine two years ago after he was outed and feared for his life.   

In an interview with the Associated Press, Petrenko revealed, “He told me people not only in his family but in the village wanted to kill him,” 

Petrenko continued, “He was scared of his brothers, his uncles, his cousins.”

It is not known how Abu Murkhiyeh turned up in Hebron. 

According to Mako, his friends claim that he was abducted. Hila Peer from Israeli LGBTQ rights organization Aguda, discussed the situation faced by LGBTQ Palestinians.

Peer: LGBTQ Palestinians Are Found and Hunted

אחמד בן ה25 נערף ראשו אתמול בחברון. אחמד שהה בישראל במקום מוגן בשל זהותו המינית. אתמול בערב הוא נרצח ע״י רוצח אכזרי ושפל.
בממשלה הבאה אנחנו מתכוונות להשלים את המהפכה ביחס ללהט״ב הפלסטיני.

— Ibtisam Mara'ana אבתיסאם מראענה إبتِسام مراعنة (@IbtisamMaraana) October 6, 2022

 “It’s not that these people even come out of the closet,” Peer said. “They’re found and they’re hunted.” 

“Ahmad’s case is just another example of how bad the situation is and how seriously dangerous it is.”

 Petrenko, who was trying to resettle Abu Murkhiyeh in Canada, said, “The only solution for Palestinian LGBT asylum seekers is to resettle in other countries. Israel is not a safe place for them and this is without regard to the existing social and welfare situation. 

“Unfortunately, recently this process has become very slow, mainly because of the policy of Canada, the main country we work with. If they had hurried there, his life would have been saved.”

Ibtisam Mara’ana-Menuhin, an Arab member of the Israeli Knesset, posted to social media, “Ahmed stayed in Israel in a protected place due to his sexual identity. Yesterday evening he was murdered by a cruel and vile killer.

“In the next government, we intend to complete the revolution in relation to the Palestinian LGBT.”