Gaza - War And Crisis Helps Liberate Women

(11 Sep 1995) T/I 10:03:40 WAR AND CRISIS HELPS LIBERATE WOMEN Gaza Natsot Duration: 1.21" Freedom for women living in Middle Eastern societies is a complex and contentious issue. A unique experience brought Palestinian women out into the public sector - the Intifada or Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation of Gaza and the West Bank. It pushed women out onto the streets to share in the fighting. They marched in demonstrations and confronted Israeli soldiers in order to protect their sons and husbands. Wafa Abdez Raihman from the National Democratic Institution says that with the advent of the Intifada, Palestinian women felt they could change something. Then Islamic fundamentalists forced the women to adhere to Muslim dress codes, branding unveiled women as collaborators. Now, autonomy is liberating Gaza women from Moslem fundamentalist demands that they veil ambition and ability as well as their bodies. Palestinian human rights activist, Hanan Ashrawi, welcomes the move. SHOWS: Women chanting and waving banners in street demo. CU woman protestor. CU group shot. Israeli soldier beating a Palestinian woman with a club. Woman arguing with soldier in jeep for release of son, pull-out as soldiers fend her off. Wafa Abdez Raihman, National Democratic Institution SOT: "The advantage of the Intifada for women (is) that they felt they could change something, that they could walk in the street side.. er not aside.. beside the men. They could work together in politics - they could change something." Woman walking down street in Muslim dress, covered in black from head to toe with veil. Another even more covered. CU woman wearing white veil. Hanan Ashrawi, human rights activist and Palestinian intellectual SOT: "In Gaza , the sort of physical closure of Gaza, and the predominance of Islamic political parties has led to certain curtailments of women's freedom, in Gaza in particular. With the coming of autonomy this hold, this strength of the political religious movement has begun to weaken." Two women in modern dress. More of similar in shopping street. Young women in similar dress in shopping street. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...