[Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News] 25 Palestinian Arab women reportedly murdered in "honor killings" this year. So far.

From Ma'an:

Twenty-five women have been killed so far this year in Palestine in so-called honor crimes, the Women's Center for Legal Aid and Counseling says.

The latest victim, Thamar Zeidan, was found strangled on Saturday in the Tulkarem village of Deir al-Ghosoun, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights reported.

Her father allegedly admitted that he killed her.

[An activist] said that in 2012, 13 women were murdered in 'honor killings' while in 2011 four women were killed.

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights on Sunday issued a statement condemning the killing of Zeidan and calling for a serious investigation into the murder.

I read the Arabic media daily and this number is a complete surprise. Nowhere near 25 "honor killings" were reported in the Arab media this year. In fact, PCHR counts only 3 - two of them this month:

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, on Saturday afternoon, 21 September 2013, the body of (S. M. Z.), 30, from Deir al-Ghosoun village, north of Tulkarm, in the northern West Bank, who was killed by strangulation, was brought to Tulkarm Hospital. The victim's father surrendered to the Palestinian police claiming he committed the crime. The Attorney General's office opened an investigation into the crime and issued an order to keep the body and refer it to the Forensic Medicine Department.

In the same context, on 12 September 2013, the body of (S. 'E. A.), 21, from Beit Omra village, west of Yatta, to the south of Hebron, in the southern West Bank, who was killed by strangulation as well, was brought to Abu al-Hassan al-Qasem Hospital in Yatta. The Palestinian police arrived at the Hospital and opened an investigation. Moreover, the police referred the body to the Forensic Medicine Department in al-Quds University – Abu Dees. According to the police, the victim's mother was arrested as she claimed she had committed the crime.

It should be noted that a similar crime was committed in al-Nusairat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip on 08 March 2013, as a result of which (H. S. 'E), 23, was killed. Thus, the number of crimes to "maintain family honor" in 2013 has mounted to 3.

Assuming that the Women's Center is being accurate, this means that the vast majority of "honor killings" in the territories are now being hidden as accidental deaths.

(h/t Barry)



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Posted By Elder of Ziyon to Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News at 9/23/2013 08:00:00 AM