Amman is a vibrant sprawling capital city of about 3 million people. Since the peace accord with Israel in 1994 it has seen steady growth uninterrupted by politcal uncertainty as well as the smooth passage from the beloved King Hussein to his son, King Abdullah in 1999. Amman has all the amenities and advantages of a modern European city yet is decidedly Arab in appearance and sounds. In the center of the city are ancient Roman ruins atop a hill that overlooks an enormous restored amphitheater where concerts and dramatic performances take place. An important aspect of this city’s life are the countless outdoor cafes where men and women gather to smoke, talk and eat with friends–and offer strong-minded opinions about the world and the country. There are some gay-friendly cafes. Read the stories about gay Jordan

Introduction A guest writer, a native Syrian man, tells his secret of self-discovery in a very secretive culture. He ponders why Syria has little understanding about homosexuality. This is followed by a very different narrative by a gay American visitor about his steamy night in a bath house in Damascus. He finds “Gay Syria” an eye-opening experience. From: www.GayMiddleEast.com March 12, 2004 A Personal Story The Arabic word “Loti” used in Syria, and eventually the Arab world, to describe a same sex attracted man. This term came from the name of prophet Lut, who was sent to people of Sodom and Gomorrah.  Obviously, the word itself has a historical meaning that makes the people nowadays feel as we “gay people “came form that era. My story with homosexuality started very early, when I was about 6 yrs old. I was in my early classes of primary school in Syria. During

Three poignant stories from online magazines about gay living and loving in a land torn by tribal warfare. Also see: Gay Israel Stories Gay Israel News & Reports 2000 to present Gay Israel Photo Galleries (1) Salon.com San Francisco, CA (http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2002/02/21/ezra_selim/index.html) February 21, 2002 (New story coming August 2006) Sleeping with the enemy: Two men–an Israeli Jew and a Palestinian Muslim–risk harassment, jail and death for their love. By Flore de Préneuf Jerusalem    After nuns kissing rabbis and wolves necking with sheep, Ezra and Selim could feature in Benetton’s next advertisement campaign. Ezra, an Israeli Jew, and Selim, a Palestinian Muslim, live, sleep–and hide together. The gay couple faces arrest at any moment: Selim for being illegally on Israeli soil, Ezra for helping, hiring and sheltering him. They took time off, on Valentine’s Day, to describe their personal hell. "We feel like rats. They run after us all the

Amman is a vibrant sprawling capital city of about 3 million people. Since the peace accord with Israel in 1994 it has seen steady growth uninterrupted by politcal uncertainty as well as the smooth passage from the beloved King Hussein to his son, King Abdullah in 1999. Amman has all the amenities and advantages of a modern European city yet is decidedly Arab in appearance and sounds. In the center of the city are ancient Roman ruins atop a hill that overlooks an enormous restored amphitheater where concerts and dramatic performances take place. Evidence of moderate prosperity shows in the many large upscale limestone houses and apartment buildings that have been built in the outskirts of the city as well as many luxury cars in the streets. Amman – Books@ Cafe is one of Amman’s most popular cafes for expats, gays, educated and secular Jordanians and tourists. The cafe is

By way of introduction to this version of gay Israel the story starts with a commentary on WorldPride held in Jerusalem August 2006 during the war with Hezbollah. It speaks to the difficulties that the Pride hosts encountered and the layers of conflict that seem indelible in Israeli culture today. This story goes beyond WorldPride and is lengthy. In order to make it more accessible it is divided into six parts: (Part 1) Jerusalem WorldPride 2006 (Part 2) Gay Israel: Beyond WorldPride 2006 (Part 3) Aguda in Tel Aviv: Saving Lives (Part 4) Private Lives: The Men and the Boys (Part 5) Gay Jerusalem Scene (Part 6) Gay Rights in Israel Also see: Gay Israel Gay Israel Stories Gay Israel News & Reports 2000 to present Gay Israel Photo Galleries   (Part 1) Jerusalem WorldPride 2006 -Six Hurdles to Overcome -WorldPride Review It appears the cards were stacked against WorldPride

Modern Jerash is a modest city 40 miles north of Amman. It was originally established as a major Roman Empire outpost in the Middle East that flourished from the 2nd to the 5th centuries CE. Today the ruins of this extensive ancient city offer an impressive glimpse into the brilliant design, engineering and construction skills of that time. Read the stories about gay Jordan

The modern state of Israel has its roots in the Land of Israel (Eretz Yisrael), a concept central to Judaism for over 3000 years. After World War I, the League of Nations approved the British Mandate of Palestine with the intent of creating a "national home for the Jewish people." In 1947, the United Nations approved the partition of Palestine into two states, one Jewish and one Arab. On May 14, 1948 the state of Israel declared independence in accordance with the UN decision and this was followed by a war with the surrounding Arab states, which refused to accept the plan. The Israelis were subsequently victorious in a series of wars confirming their independence and expanding the borders of the Jewish state beyond those in the UN Partition Plan. Since then, Israel has been in conflict with many of the neighboring Arab countries, resulting in several major wars and