‘Honor killings’, mostly targeting Palestinian women, are on the rise across Palestine and prove that women all over the civilized world are vulnerable to social injustice irrespective of religion and caste. The senseless violence against women has particularly increased since the bitter rivalry between Hamas and Fatah began earlier this year rendering the official Palestinian Authority voiceless and too weak to take any action against the perpetrators.
Not only in Palestine but across the Middle East, hundreds of women and girls are murdered by male family members every year for the perceived misuse of their sexuality.
Honor killing has become a thorny social issue in the region. Women rights activists claim that many such crimes remain unrecorded given that the killings are regarded as private family matters. But, even more astounding is the fact that these particular killings do not have any relation to Islam which has a lawful procedure in dealing with adultery cases.
Honor killing emerged in the pre-Islamic era. It was deeply related to primitive Arab society which had powerful and strict tribal family rules. In Arab societies family is the most important compared to individuals and feelings are very strong regarding any sort of dishonor of the family or group.
The voice of males is the most important to the family and various human rights activists claim that even rape victims have been murdered for dishonoring the family. Even false rumors about a woman having an affair are regarded to be true and the inevitable punishment is meted out to the poor victim. According to many families in Palestine, virginity is something that the woman must protect at all costs whether it is a forced sex or a consented one.
Due to the continuous violence between Hamas and Fatah and years of anarchy, the Palestinian Authority (PA) has not been able to develop a constructive and cohesive framework in dealing with honor killings or violence against women as a whole. Due to lack of expertise and finance, the PA, cannot encourage the victims to report the incidents of violence and protect them from a family backlash. With no institutional law in place the women are hardly protected and the killers walk freely on most occasions.
Comments
dey shudnt reat women lyk dat. every1 shd av dere ryts, n dat icludes women. dey shud av a say in wht dey wnt. dere ryts shud nt be tken awaii from dem coz women died so dey cyd av dere ryts...if u r a male hu as bin abusin women den plz consider dis coz if men died 2 get dere ryts n women dint let u av em ow wud yuz feel? plz stop dis. in d name of allah the almighty, av mercy on women n do not let their efforts perish!
Inshallah dis behavious will soon stop.
Jazaakallah,
A Sister of Islam-
It is such a shame for anyone to think they have led a clean enough life to judge another to death. With the same measure we judge, God will judge us. No one escapes the final judgement which is God’s hands alone. Innocents will be justified in the final judgement. Men who have been deceived into thinking they are the judge of their families,only God is perfect, only God can judge. May God reveal Himself to all who truly seek Him. He alone is righteous, He alone is holy, He alone has the power to forgive, and to restore our hearts to forgive others who have wronged us. It is better to forgive than to seek vengeance, vengeance never satisfies, only forgiveness sets you free. May God bless anyone who reads this. If you want to experience true freedom, ask Jesus for forgiveness of all your sins. Ask Him to come into your heart. Accept His free gift of forgiveness and salvation. His death on the cross was the Final Justice to die for our sins. Accept His free gift. He will send His Holy Spirit to live in your heart and to give you a peace that surpasses all understanding, He led a perfect life, yet while we were still His enemies, He died for us, He laid down His life so we could live forever in heaven. He had no sin, but He died for our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive you your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. You will go to heaven for all eternity where there is no more tears or sorrow if you believe that He died for your sins and resurrected again on the third day. He defeated death and now holds the keys to death and Hades. So if you accept Him as your Saviour you will never die but have eternal life. God bless you my brothers and sisters. Lets stop hurting each other and learn to love and respect each other.
Kathleen Sister Christ Follower