RAFIF ESLEEM

Gaza- Yesterday, women of NGOs held a demonstration in front of the United Nations headquarters in the Gaza Strip to protest the crimes committed against women of Hebron by Israeli forces. The demonstrators called on the international community to fulfill its responsibilities by putting pressure on Israel to stop its forces from committing crimes against women in the Palestinian territories.

Maryam Zaqout, one of the demonstrators, said, “What has happened to the women of Hebron is a right violation. They are assaulted in their homes at night by Israeli forces. During house raids, Israeli forces tear off the clothes of women and threaten women in front of their children. What has happened in Habron is a serious crime violating all international conventions and resolutions, especially Resolution 1325 issued by the United Nations Security Council.”

‘Palestinian women should grow solidarity’

Fawzia Judeh of the General Union of Palestinian Women (GUPW) said they came together to be in solidarity with the women of Hebron. Condemning the crimes committed against women by Israel, she said, “The aim is to destabilize the security of Palestinian women and prevent Palestinian women from having a say in political, social and economic issues. The United Nations must reconsider its relationship with Israel. As Palestinian women, we should grow solidarity because we always pay the price to defend our homeland.”

‘Israeli keeps committing crimes’

Human rights activist Zainab Al-Ghunaimi told us that they came together to put pressure on the UN and international community in order to fulfill their responsibilities and hold Israel accountable. She said, “targeting women is a right violation. We demand the implementation of international law. Since Israel goes unpunished for its crimes, it keeps committing crimes against civilians.”

‘Women and international organizations should be the voice of Palestinian women’

“Palestinian women are killed, arrested, abused, beaten and prevented from going to hospital,” said Itimad Washah, a member of the Women's Affairs Center. “Women are subjected to strip search in front of their children. We call on women all around the world and international human rights organizations to unite in order to be the voice of Palestinian women. We call on them to support Palestinians so that they will have better living conditions. At any moment, they can lose their homes, children and families.”

‘They are not allowed to travel’

Rania Sultan, member of the Union of Palestinian Women's Committees, said that women’s organizations and NGOs held the demonstration to call on the ınternational community to stand by oppressed women in Jerusalem, Hebron and Gaza. Palestinian women are subjected to rights violations every day; they are not allowed to travel. They try to defend their rights without international law.”

‘We will support our sisters’

Feminist activist Taghreed Jumaa thinks that the international community is responsible for protecting Palestinian women from arrest, displacement and violence. She said, “Palestinian women have a long history of struggle against the Israeli siege and they will keep struggling. We will support our sisters to complete this path.”