The Palestinian Authority (PA)’s violent treatment of the gay community under its rule offers a gloomy reminder of this community’s difficult situation in most Muslim countries. On August 18, the PA barred the Al Qaws (Rainbow) organization, which combines several LGBT groups, from holding an event in the Nablus area. Palestinian policemen not only forcibly prevented the gathering but issued a harsh and threatening warning to members of the gay community. They asked citizens to provide the police with any information they might have about the organization’s activities, and made the following statement: THE PALESTINIAN POLICE WILL PREVENT THE HOLDING OF THE EVENT AND NOTES THAT IT DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE SIMILAR PREVIOUS EVENTS THAT WERE HELD IN NABLUS. THE EVENT IN QUESTION IS NOT SUITABLE TO THE CONSERVATIVE NATURE OF THE CITY AND WILL OFFEND THE VALUES OF THE LOCAL POPULATION AND THE CITY OF NABLUS…THE EVENT, IF HELD, WILL CONSTITUTE AN AFFRONT TO THE TRADITION AND A BLOW TO THE VALUES THAT PALESTINIAN SOCIETY HAS UPHELD THROUGHOUT ITS HISTORY. The police spokesman went on to warn that anyone connected to the event would be prosecuted, and promised full confidentiality to anyone providing the police with information that might lead to prosecutions.