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Photo: AP

Palestinian women rally against domestic violence

Bethlehem women hold silent march in protest of disconcerting growth in spousal abuse, 'honor killings'

Palestinian women in the West Bank staged a silent march Thursday, in protest of the growing numbers of domestic violence.

 

The march, which took place in Bethlehem, was organized but the National Union of Palestinian Women in response to the most recent killing of a woman by her husband.

 

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The murder, which took place in broad daylight and in the middle of a street in the village of Batir, was front-page news in the Palestinian media for days; especially since it followed two other similar murders, in the West Bank city of Tulkarem and in the Shati refugee camp in western Gaza.

 


צועדים בבית לחם נגד אלימות כלפי נשים  (צילום: AP)

The silent march in Bethlehem (Photo: AP)

 

Palestinian women's rights groups strongly denounced the murders, calling them "barbaric" and "inhumane."

 

They further criticized the Palestinian police for ignoring domestic violence and spousal abuse complaints. The National Union of Palestinian Women urged Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to order a full investigation of the murder in Bethlehem.

 

Dozens of women marched in Bethlehem on Wednesday as well, under the banner of "No to women's murder."

 

Palestinian women's rights groups said they plan a series of events made to raise awareness to violence against women in Palestinian society and put an end to the sense of danger that is so many women's reality.

 

According to human rights group, 13 Palestinian women fell prey "honor killings" in 2011 and a dozen woman have been killed by their husbands since the beginning of 2012.

 

The Palestinian President's Office issued a statement saying that Mahmoud Abbas convened a special security forces meeting following the recent murder, and instructed the Palestinian police to ensure civilian safety and security.

 

 

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פרסום ראשון: 08.02.12, 12:44
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