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August 22, 2003/Av 24 5763, Vol. 55, No. 52
Honor killings plague Israeli MuslimsCARL ALPERTA report issued not long ago by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan informed the public that last year more than 450 Muslim women were killed in that country in the name of "honor.""Honor killings" are a familiar part of extreme Muslim tradition. When young girls become pregnant out of marriage or engage in premarital sex or pursue a manner of life that is contrary to tradition, family honor is sullied and close relatives are expected to take immediate steps to "eliminate" the transgressor. All of this has been known for a long time, and has been a source of embarrassment to modern, westernized Muslims. Wherever possible, news of such killings is usually hushed up or disputed. Even the press in Israel pays scant attention to reports that leak out, but it has become known that last year no less than 31 women in the areas occupied by the Palestinians were killed by relatives for violation of family honor. A particularly tragic case was that of a woman in a Ramallah suburb who discovered that her daughter had been raped by her two older brothers and had become pregnant. The solution? The mother murdered her daughter. What about Israel? A quick search in the files reveals that there have been many more such cases in the Muslim Arab community here than had previously been surmised. This past January, for example, four relatives of a young Bedouin woman were arrested for shooting dead a 19-year-old girl who was "leading a modern lifestyle." In March, two Muslims in Lod were sentenced to life imprisonment for murder of a 14-year-old female relative who had allegedly been "dishonoring the family by improper dress and behavior." Under Israel law, of course, the murderers are subjected to maximum punishment. But in the Palestine-administered areas Jordanian law prevails. Here the special circumstances are taken into account, with the result that relatively minor punishment is imposed on the offenders. The Arabs prefer not to keep statistics on such cases, for obvious reasons, and it is generally believed that the figures are much higher than those reported. Very often mysterious deaths are reported as "accidents." One observer stated that "honor killings are an age-old phenomenon that causes the deaths of thousands of women and girls every year in the Middle East. Journalists and human rights groups report that such cases occur also among Muslim communities in the West." It is true that there are organizations in the Muslim world that agitate and demonstrate against this practice, but apparently to little effect, especially as religious extremism seems to be growing. Here in Israel, a small group of Arab and Jewish women is dedicated to protecting the rights and honor of women. They have been carrying on a campaign against the whole concept of honor killings in the Arab communities, but often at risk to themselves. The group also provides "rescue" facilities for single Arab girls who become pregnant, removing them from their environment and affording them shelter and health care. Unfortunately, honor killing is an accepted norm in the Muslim world. Carl Alpert is a free-lance writer living in Haifa. |
