Palestine: Women United by Courage

[Andromeda]

1/16/2006

Palestinian women seize opportunity to assert their rights. (The Independent)

Consider two Palestinian women: the first is Ibt-i-sam Al Za'aneen, 45, who became one of only two female councillors in the conflict-ravaged northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun this year.

She stood as an independent. Fatah and Hamas, whose strongholds are in Gaza, had tried to woo her because of the popularity of her no-nonsense campaign for women. But, she says: "I don't want this faction or that to tell me what to do. I feel very strong. I don't need them."

The second woman is Umm Ahmed, 29, who has six children. She can still remember the shock of being beaten for the first time by her husband eight days after she married him when she was 15. "He beat me for sitting on the front step," she says. "Then he beat me because of my cooking."

Her husband took a second wife, refusing Umm Ahmed a separation, let alone a divorce, and he has never stopped beating her. Her cheeks bear the scars of cigarette burns he inflicted. Umm Ahmed is, obviously, not her real name.

http://www.wluml.org/english/newsfulltxt.shtml?cmd%5B157%5D=x-157-500603


Note:

I'm not aware of the political slant of this website, if there is any, I just wanted to offer information that confirms recent reports in different news articles that there are still "honor killings" in Palestine. The problem is now being addressed by some courageous women obviously putting themselves at risk for speaking up because they are defying Hamas and Fatah.

Let's hope more women stand together to change this barbaric custom in all of the countries that allow it.

[Andromeda]

1. Here's another source...

http://news.independent.co.uk/appeals/indy_appeal/article336546.ece

[pelsar]

2. right direction

a small movement in the right direction....more power to them.