The Gay Divide

I’ve just noticed that I missed what looks to have been an interesting programme on BBC Radio 4 last Monday night: The Gay Divide. From the BBC’s web page:

Throughout the Moslem world homosexuality is a taboo, punishable in several countries by death. On the West Bank and Gaza women or men who have sex with people of the same sex face imprisonment and torture. They are also rejected by their families and the rest of society. Several hundred Palestinian gays and lesbians have fled to Israel.

Because they’re Palestinian, they’re illegal and cannot readily obtain asylum in Israel. But having tried in Israel, it is virtually impossible to obtain asylum in another country, as you can only apply for asylum once.

Fortunately, the BBC allows for the re-hearing of many of its programmes via the Internet now, and there’s a link on the web page to the audio file. I’m off to listen to it – I suggest that you do the same.

Update: Here’s a link to the story on the Radio Netherlands web. It also has a link to the audio story.