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‘This time, we said, enough’ (Arab women speaking out against “honor” killings)

A little glimmer of evolution. From Ha’aretz:

“This time, we said ‘enough.’ Every year they murder not one, but two of us. We’ve had enough.” That is what a female memberof the Abu-Ghanem family from Ramle said this week to Haaretz. Along with another 20 female relatives, she decided to rebel against tradition. One by one, they reported to police investigators and told what they know about the murder of Hamda Abu-Ghanem, a member of their family, about a month ago.

Like the eight women from the family who preceded her during thepast six years, Hamda Abu-Ghanem was murdered because of what is called “damaging the family honor.” Some of them were murdered after talking on the phone, others because they were seen laughing at a man, or because they turned down a match. These cases were not solved until the murder of Reem Abu-Ghanem about a year ago. An eyewitness then led the police to the murderers, among them the victim’s brother, a doctor. The murder of Hamda Abu-Ghanem was solved thanks to the testimony of the women; last week an indictment was served against Hamda’s brother, Kamal Rashad Abu-Ghanem.