Love and Desire in the Promised Land the Private Lives of Israelis and Palestinians

(Fantagraphics, 2026)

(From the publisher)

Love and Desire in the Promised Land gives voice to a dozen real-life citizens of Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank who navigate messy boundaries in their homes and bedrooms against a background of geopolitical violence. Collecting interviews conducted before the October 7 attack unleashed a new wave of bloody conflict, the book introduces fascinating individuals and couples who speak frankly about the transgressions that define their experiences with intimacy. The portrayals represent a diverse population, including an interfaith celebrity power couple, an Orthodox gynecologist, a young gay Muslim, a Palestinian American feminist, a Ukrainian Israeli artist, and a Palestinian lesbian in a relationship with an Israeli soldier. Through these candid conversations, recorded by Parent-Rachdi and illustrated with a warm touch by Deloupy, the authors illuminate a culture and a people whose humanity has been shrouded by the fever pitch of politics and the tragedy of genocide. In a strict society, where norms are enforced by tradition, religion, and the threat of violence, these ordinary citizens follow their heart and risk it all in the name of love and desire.

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