translated from Spanish: For the first time Palestinian women are against sexist abuses and patriarchy

Photography/The Nation
Palestine.- Isra a enjoyed what she did, was a makeup artist in her village, Beit Sahour, near Bethlehem, in the occupied West Bank. But what she was most excited about was marrying her boyfriend. They were promised in mid-August and she was so happy that she posted it on their social media. The joy was very short-lived. On 22 August he died in a hospital.
According to early open research data, he fell from a balcony in his home. Three of his brothers are in custody, accused of throwing her out. They didn’t approve of their relationship. She arrived alive at the hospital, but there she was beaten to death again. Audios that have seen the light confirm it.
The family denies the eldest and points out that the young woman jumped into the void because she was suffering from mental health problems. A version that Isra’a’s friends and human rights activists reject.
At least 18 women have died for so-called “honour crimes.”
He was 21 years old and has become the 18th victim of the so-called “honour crimes” in 2019 in the Palestinian territories. His murder has raised a wave of outrage, first on social media, and then in demonstrations in different cities: Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jerusalem…
“That’s enough. We have lost enough women; murdered, tortured, raped, harassed. There is no justice,” amal Khayyat cries. “It is a disgrace that in 2019 we still have to discuss whether someone has the right to assault or kill another person. It doesn’t make any sense,” adds Fares Arouri.
For the first time, hundreds of Palestinian women have left fear at home and are raising their voices against a patriarchal and sexist system that mistreats them with impunity.
“We want a modern justice system, laws that protect us,” says Ahlam al-Washsh of the Palestinian Women’s Union. The Palestinian penal code is from 1960 and is at the center of controversy. It barely protects women and the punishment of abusers and murderers, when there are, are minor.
Many look these days at the Palestinian Authority, criticized for looking the other way too often. This time, the pressure is so great that even the Palestinian prime minister has had to intervene: “We are investigating the case of Isra’a Ghrayeb. Several people are in detention and are being questioned,” said Mohammad Shtayyeh.
For many Palestinian women, it’s not enough. They want real and profound changes at the legislative and social levels. “Programmes that teach the principle of gender equality need to be developed,” said the General Union of Palestinian Women and Feminist Institutions in a statement.
They’re determined that something will change forever. Amal Khayyat is clear: “We are all Isra’a and we will continue to protest until we get justice for her and so many others.”
Original source: rtve

Original source in Spanish