2019-09-01

Palestine

Human Rights Defenders / West Bank / Gaza / Announcement / position paper

The Murder of Israa' Gharib is a Disgrace to the Palestinian Community and an Expression of Women Subjugation Culture Embraced by the Blinkered Feudal Patriarchy System

A new episode in the series of women murders has recently claimed the life of a young woman called Israa’ Gharib, who died after suffering from barbaric treatment and physical torture that reflect the depth of the social, political and cultural systems’ crises, and express the pejorative attitude towards women by objectifying them and giving males the right to control them as they wish without respecting their humanity nor their role as real partners in shaping Palestine’s present and future. This crime is a dull expression of the adopted system’s culture, a blinkered, undeveloped, and masculinized culture that contradicts with all values and principles agreed on by human nations, regardless of their ideologies, and their intellectual, political, and partisan backgrounds.

Israa’ screams shall urge us all to make a stand against all symptoms of underdevelopment and arrogance inherited by the norm of infantilizing females for being born that way, and for other illogical pretexts. Israa’ screams shall urge us to reconsider and reform our ideological, cultural, social, and political orientations to enable women from enjoying their constitutional rights of life, dignity, and choice, and shall urge us to review the legislation and laws concerning women to ensure that they enjoy their free will without any restrictions or exceptions that embody dependency and represent the reservoir of such crimes. Israa’ crimes advocate for reforming the political system, embodying the state of law and justice, and guaranteeing the right to equality and participation in governance, management, and other levels. Israa’ screams advocate for correcting the cultural course, emancipating from all forms of slavery, and adapting accountability systems to put an end for this series.

With the fact that every member of the Palestinian community assumes the responsibility of Israa’s murder, we are all facing a historical challenge to make a fundamental change to our visions, missions, and actions in a manner that ensures justice for Israa’ and other victims, and ensures safety and protection for all women, this is a test that will not be passed unless human dignity of all Palestinian citizens is rehabilitated.

Based upon the understanding of the crises, MUSAWA requires the following:

1. Accelerating the investigation procedures in the murder conditions and circumstances, and announcing its outcomes to the public.

1. Accounting the murder’s perpetrators, contributors and those who justify it, including charlatanism and witchcraft advocates. 

1. Taking the actions and policies needed for developing the legislation and promoting the equality culture in all levels, mainly education, legislation, and management to address the reason for such crimes. 

We hope that this bloody series ends with this crime and that this chapter never finds its way back to our lives. 

MUSAWA

Issued on 1/9/2019