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Last update - 06:54 23/02/2007 Abu-Ghanem women speak out against serial 'honor killings' The murder of Hamda Abu-Ghanem, whose bullet-riddled body was found in mid-January at her parents' house in Ramle, surprised nobody. As police set about their investigation, everyone was aware that the victim's brother had been threatening to kill her, and that long before the murder, she had taken refuge in a battered women's shelter. It was a typical "honor killing," meant to remove some perceived stain on the family's reputation. Advertisement The perpetrators of most honor killings in the Arab community are not apprehended. Hamda's murder, however, was one too many for the women in the Abu-Ghanem family. She was the eighth woman to be murdered in the extended family in the last six and a half years. All her predecessors also lost their lives in "honor killings." This time, instead of keeping mum when the police questioned them, the Abu- Ghanem women gave detailed testimonies of everything they knew. One said she had seen Rashad enter the house where Hamda was. Shortly afterward she heard shots and seconds later saw Rashad, the key suspect, fleeing from the building. The victim's mother told the police that Rashad had forbidden his sister to leave the house after some men had called her a "prostitute." "It was a women's revolt against the men of the family. While the men refused to cooperate with the police and forbade the women to speak, the women revealed all. They decided to put an end to the bloody circle of silence," Chief Inspector Haim Shreibhand, who was in charge of the investigation, told Haaretz. The detectives gathered testimonies from 20 Abu-Ghanem women and assembled the pieces of the puzzle together into an indictment, he said. Kamal Rashad Abu-Ghanem, 30, was arraigned in Tel Aviv's District Court yesterday for murder. His cousin Mahmoud, who was also arrested, was released for lack of sufficient evidence to file charges. Rashad Abu-Ghanem was charged with entering the family's home, in Ramle's Juarish neighborhood. His sister was alone in the house, lying on her bed. She probably knew she was about to die. He went up the stairs with a loaded 9-mm. handgun, entered his sister's room and fired nine bullets at her. Before Hamda, the other women of the Abu-Ghanem family who lost their lives for honor were Naifa, Suzan, Zinat, Sabrin, Amira, Reem and Shirihan. Like some of the other victims, Hamda had spent the last few years in a shelter, hiding from her brother. Her "crime" was apparently her numerous telephone conversations, and being seen talking to her cousin once. About a year ago, she asked to move back to her parents' house in Ramle. A few months later, she filed a police complaint against her brother, who had assaulted her. He was arrested, but later released by the court. "The hardest thing at these murder scenes is the awful silence," said Yifrah Duchovny, Coastal Plain police commander. "Nobody cries, nobody speaks." "We held everyone who was in the neighborhood at the time of the murder for questioning, and started collecting testimonies. The first one who cooperated with us, perhaps without meaning to, was a relative who said the murder wasn't justified, that Hamda had not breached any honor. Then a female relative agreed with him," Shreibhand said. The detectives told Hamda's mother, sisters and cousins what the first two relatives had said and asked for their opinion. "Gradually they started to speak. Each one started by saying she had had enough, that she didn't want this situation to continue. The mother, who had first stood behind her son, suddenly started speaking against him, sharing things she knew with us. She said she was angry that he had murdered her daughter." Hamda's sisters went further. When they confronted Rashad at the police station they spat out at him: "You're a dog," and "Sit in prison for life, murderer." One of them asked him, "Why don't you try to murder me too? I'm not scared of you any more." The men, on the other hand, hardly said a word to the police. "After the women began to talk, they found themselves receiving threats," said Shreibhand. The witnesses have been put in safe houses, for fear the men would try to harm them. However, several women were not comfortable in the safe houses and are returning to the neighborhood. "The relations between the men and women in the family have become really tense. We've had special meetings about how to protect the women after they testify and we have a plan," the inspector said. However, Aida Touma-Suleiman, director of the Women Against Violence group in the Arab sector, said she has grave fears for the women's lives. "I support these brave women. They finally broke the circle of blood and silence. But I'm also afraid they will be hurt. As long as there is no witness protection program, these women will be abandoned after they testify. They may have been courageous, but they have also sentenced themselves to death," she said. Rashad Abu-Ghanem is represented by Attorney Giora Zilberstein. Bookmark to del.icio.us   From hunted to hunter Jerusalem camera catches brutal attack by Jewish teens on Arab youths. The will to power Palestinian governments violate human rights in quest for control.   1.   Courageous women 04:10  |  Lynn 23/02/07   2.   I suppose this is also Israel`s fault 04:16  |  Sherman 23/02/07   3.   #1, Lynn 05:00  |  JB 23/02/07   4.   Sad , sad , sad , very sad , 05:04  |  Joseph E . 23/02/07   5.   Damn , we see in Israel a woman suing a man for unwanted french k 05:12  |  Joseph E . 23/02/07   6.   A black spot that needs to be removed 05:25  |  ZacAttack 23/02/07   7.   Help these women reform their deranged society 05:27  |  Smearnov 23/02/07   8.   They are Arabs - what do you expect from them? 05:29  |  Alex 23/02/07   9.   Aida Touma-Suleiman is wrong 05:43  |  Joseph E . 23/02/07   10.   re #2 `I suppose this is also Israel`s fault.` 06:01  |  Colin Wright 23/02/07   11.   A slight majority 06:12  |  Colin Wright 23/02/07   12.   So Much Prejudice 06:20  |  DA 23/02/07   13.   colin 06:20  |  ari 23/02/07   14.   colin 06:33  |  ny 23/02/07   15.   it is the arab islamic culture of no respect 06:36  |  real vision 23/02/07   16.   #6 You are right , in Jordan there is heavy jail time: 6 month 06:41  |  Chanan 23/02/07   17.   #8 You are right too: In Jordan "only" 5,000 women a year........ 06:45  |  Chanan 23/02/07   18.   Sorry #8, I meant #9, the moderator changed the numbers 06:48  |  Chanan 23/02/07   19.   Can Colin Wright provide an example of an "intact Arab society" 06:49  |  Voice of Reason 23/02/07   20.   #9, I blame Israel for plenty, but not this 06:58  |  newageblues 23/02/07   21.   #1 & #2 07:08  |  VIPER 23/02/07   22.   #9 You are right too: In Jordan "only" 5,000 women a year........ 07:12  |  Chanan 23/02/07   23.   Israel Bashers: Israel has nothing to do with the HONOR KILLINGS. 07:40  |  Vittorio 23/02/07   24.   # 11 Chanan @ USA 07:42  |  Joseph E . 23/02/07   25.   women speak out from Abu-Ghanem 07:46  |  Roxy 23/02/07   26.   #2 Sherman 08:06  |  Aryeh 23/02/07   27.   Twisted Minds 08:06  |  Walid 23/02/07   28.   Hypocracy 08:12  |  ZacAttack 23/02/07   29.   Hypocracy 08:12  |  ZacAttack 23/02/07   30.   to # 9 ...a little retarded reasoning, dont u think? 08:37  |  Kusamek 23/02/07   31.   Honor killings NOT Israel`s fault 09:13  |  D 23/02/07   32.   re: #2 Sherman 09:45  |  Ned 23/02/07   33.   #18 Zack Attack in Shameful Denial 09:47  |  True Arab 23/02/07   34.   "Honor killings" 10:08  |  Suad 23/02/07   35.   pervesions of the human nature 10:12  |  dr danielito 23/02/07   36.   To # 8 racist 10:17  |  suad 23/02/07   37.   # 10 also racist 10:34  |  suad 23/02/07   38.   #3 - islam repudiates silly things, but not this 10:37  |  matt 23/02/07   39.   Anti arab sentiments 10:49  |  avraham 23/02/07   40.   These honor killings are just the tip of the iceberg. 10:55  |  common sense 23/02/07   41.   Property 11:03  |  From the Moon 23/02/07   42.   Honour 11:32  |  SP 23/02/07   43.   as a jew i support men of the family 11:33  |  vladimir 23/02/07   44.   smearnov, @7 11:38  |  vladimir 23/02/07   45.   @11, colin wright, i would cheer your death 11:41  |  vladimir 23/02/07   46.   Kudos to Kolin 11:48  |  KKK 23/02/07   47.   @32, ned read please @11 colin 11:51  |  vladimir 23/02/07   48.   Islam 11:56  |  Nura 23/02/07   49.   @36, suad, alex @8 is right and don´t give us your rasist garbadg 11:58  |  vladimir 23/02/07   50.   Abomination in our Holy Land! 12:37  |  Pinchas Ben Zimri 23/02/07   51.   "Honor" is the problem of Mid-East strife 12:41  |  Rafael P. 23/02/07   52.   Another example 12:46  |  Zuriel 23/02/07   53.   muslims like to kill dont they 12:52  |  Gary 23/02/07   54.   The girl`s mother is guilty 13:04  |  Nik Miller 23/02/07   55.   To number 38 13:05  |  Palestinian 23/02/07   56.   All Arabs and Muslims are to blame for this 14:03  |  Nechama 23/02/07   57.   My first response (second attempt) 14:03  |  Nik Miller 23/02/07   58.   What do these Qu´ranic Verses mean? 15:12  |  Wondering 23/02/07   59.   DA from NY 15:34  |  Lynn 23/02/07   60.   Viper 15:40  |  Lynn 23/02/07   61.   Suad 15:50  |  Walid 23/02/07   62.   From the Moon 15:51  |  Lynn 23/02/07   63.   It`s about time...... 15:51  |  Rami 23/02/07   64.   Colin Wright 15:55  |  Luke 23/02/07   65.   Palestinian 15:56  |  Lynn 23/02/07   66.   Walid 15:59  |  sh 23/02/07   67.   TO #42 SP 16:01  |  Wondering 23/02/07   68.   Colin Wright 16:05  |  Lynn 23/02/07   69.   They spoke out only because she was not "guilty" 16:19  |  Yael G 23/02/07   70.   36,37 Suad: I wonder if your child will also grow up racist 16:29  |  Yael G 23/02/07   71.   59 What do these Quc Verses mean? Wond´raniering 16:33  |  student 23/02/07   72.   I can remember 16:37  |  Mark Lincoln 23/02/07   73.   Uncomfy aspect of public indignation: moral capital from crime 16:47  |  zmogus 23/02/07   74.   only in israel 17:10  |  pm 23/02/07   75.   # 3 JB 17:26  |  Lynn 23/02/07   76.   #11 Colin Wright to everybody. Excellent post 17:27  |  zmogus 23/02/07   77.   Great, Mark 17:50  |  Polybios 23/02/07   78.   For those who sport Quran`s quotations. How about this from OT? 17:58  |  zmogus 23/02/07   79.   This is the Palestine people want to establish? 18:02  |  Polybios 23/02/07   80.   Mark Lincoln 18:02  |  Lynn 23/02/07   81.   This is a clan issue not reflective of entire culture. 18:17  |  Jack 23/02/07   82.   why the men do not kill each other when they disgrace the "family 18:33  |  Jack 23/02/07   83.   Honor Killings 20:31  |  Charles Floto Sr 23/02/07   84.   TO Zmogus #78 - the difference Zmogus is 20:36  |  Wondering 23/02/07   85.   #84, Wondering. You seem to have missed out the disclaimer. 23:31  |  zmogus 23/02/07   86.   Justice 06:49  |  Seb 24/02/07   87.   TO Zmogus #85 13:23  |  Wondering 24/02/07   88.   FEMALEcircumcision also needs to be outlawed.Will only happen 13:41  |  PETER SM 24/02/07   89.   True RAB has it rigjt 04:18  |  WizardofOz 26/02/07   90.   Colin Wright - talk about ignorant of the facts 04:21  |  WizardofOz 26/02/07   91.   Colin Wright - talk about ignorant of the facts 04:29  |  WizardofOz 26/02/07   92.   Yes Rami and the women must speak 04:41  |  Wizard of Oz 26/02/07   93.   Leviticus 04:51  |  WizardofOz 26/02/07   94.   When Stereotypes Collide... 07:26  |  John 26/02/07   95.   #79, Polybios. A new reason for Palestine to be occupied? 11:31  |  zmogus 26/02/07   96.   Look who`s talking,Don`t Play Innocent 11:58  |  Jordanian 26/02/07   97.   #87, Wondering. Gosh, you really dislike that disclaimer dont you 13:24  |  zmogus 26/02/07   98.   #88.PETER SM. Hope youhad a momentary flashback writing your post 14:28  |  zmogus 26/02/07   99.   #93, WizardofOz. I humbly refer you to my post #97 14:48  |  zmogus 26/02/07   100.   RE Jordanian: Look Who`s Talking 19:56  |  John 26/02/07   101.   Devolution... 20:15  |  Dennis Eldridge 26/02/07   102.   To #8, They are Israelis 05:35  |  Nahum Wengrov 27/02/07   103.   Honor(or lack of honor) killings 08:35  |  L Edward Phillips 27/02/07   104.   Just the stuff to feed our Judgements. 09:35  |  Voice of reason??!! 19/02/08   105.   # 38 RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!!!! 12:38  |  petra 16/03/08   106.   # 60 LYNN YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 12:40  |  petra 16/03/08   107.   # 100 JOHN HIP HIP HOORAY GREAT POST GREAT!!!!!!!! 13:28  |  petra 16/03/08   108.   looking after? 14:10  |  Nabulsi 16/03/08   109.   Outsiders view of honor killings 21:44  |  Veritas Vincit 15/05/08   110.   Situation in Europe 13:06  |  Usual Citizen 28/05/08

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