Have a sneak peek from an interview with Muhammad Ramadan:
Q: You went on a trip that surprised many people. Why?
A: They invited me. I said yes. That’s it. No big story at the start.
Q: Were you afraid?
A: Of course I was afraid. I thought about my family, the people who listen to me, the street. I almost cancelled more than once.
Q: What changed your mind?
A: I got tired of living with half my words. I already dealt with Israeli producers before, quietly, no cameras, no posts. I didn’t want to keep hiding it.
Q: What do you feel now, after the trip?
A: I love Israel. Straight. I love it.
Q: Many people separate loving a people from supporting a government. Do you make that separation?
A: No. I support the Israeli government too. I didn’t go looking for the comfortable answer. I looked inside myself and this is what came out.
Q: You know this will cause a storm back home.
A: I know. I’m not asking anyone for permission. I’m just saying what’s true for me.
Q: What do you say to those who feel betrayed?
A: I understand their anger. I’m not asking them to feel what I feel. I’m only asking to be allowed to feel it myself, out loud, instead of in the dark.
Q: What’s next for you?
A: After this interview I might go to a gay bar in Tel Aviv. But after that? Music. Always music. This talk will come and go. The songs stay.