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Women in Black protesting in Jerusalem Friday. (Tomer Neuberg/Jini)
Last update - 06:36 30/12/2007
Women in Black marks 20th year, but occupation continues
By Tamara Traubmann, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: occupation, peace movements 

The hundreds of women and the few men who on Friday celebrated the 20th
anniversary of Women in Black didn't seem to know whether the event they were attending was a somber one, or a party. After all, the cause the movement has championed for the past 20 years has not been achieved. The Israeli occupation still exists.

"It's the only demonstration that has been going on for 20 years now," one of the participants said.
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The place where the crowd of 250 women gathered was the same place where Women in Black always hold their Friday demonstrations: Paris Square in Jerusalem. As always, they were carrying signs against the occupation.

"The peace movements have succeeded. We have thousands of demonstration hours," Hanna Safran boasted. "We have all been very creative. We've marched naked, we went down to the Territories. Our message has been accepted, but it hasn't put an end to the occupation and the wrongdoings that go along with it. In fact, things only got worse."

The movement was born in late 1987, weeks after the outbreak of the first intifada, which turned the attention of most Israelis to the very fact that the Palestinians were living under occupation. The first demonstrators, Safran among them, gathered at Paris Square, not far from the prime minister's official residence. They stood in silence, carrying signs the shape of a stop sign, reading: "Stop the occupation."

Within several months, other women joined the protest, demonstrating at junctions outside towns and cities. The members of Women in Black represent the full spectrum of the Israeli Left, from Labor to the anti-Zionists.

Two of the most frequently asked questions Women in Black have had to answer over the years were why women, and why black. They say the absence of men in their ranks is meant to allow women to make their voice heard in a militaristic society.

As for black, there are several versions as to why the color was chosen as a trademark.

"What can I tell you, it's just a visually strong color," said Debbie Lerman from Tel Aviv.

One characteristic of Women in Black's protest rallies was the torrent of swear words, curses and fulminations they usually elicited from passersby, who vent out their hostility toward the organization. But nowadays they are no longer targeted.

Women in Black members explain that the hostility subsided because 20 years ago, a congregation of women engaged in political protest was perceived as defiant ipso facto.

"That's why the first demonstrators were spat on, and subjected to sexist and bigoted remarks from passersby," one activist said.

In Israel, Women in Black has failed to bring about the end of occupation. But the movement has become a role model for other countries, where certain sectors of the population have to endure humiliation, oppression and racism.

At present, Women in Black organizations exist in over 40 countries, the Israeli members say. In India they are protesting religious discrimination. In the former Yugoslavia, various splinter states saw the formation of Women in Black protesting the war. In Germany they address fascism, nuclear weapons, and the Israeli occupation, too
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  1.   Only 250 women 07:14  |  Aliza 30/12/07
  2.   HAMASTAN in GAZA is the best place for Women in Black 07:58  |  Vittorio 30/12/07
  3.   They are a dieing breed 08:05  |  Meir Weinstein 30/12/07
  4.   Mourners of Jews Existing in Judea and Samaria, Please Leave 08:07  |  Efox 30/12/07
  5.   A response to Hamas` birth and intifada? 08:25  |  William 30/12/07
  6.   They have set back the cause of peace 08:37  |  Shalom Freedman 30/12/07
  7.   We occupy our land as America occupies Texas. 08:52  |  Chaim 30/12/07
  8.   Our voices get stronger and stronger 08:59  |  Proud Woman in Black 30/12/07
  9.   # 1 to aliza who is a woman? 09:11  |  eric 30/12/07
  10.   may God bless these women... 09:37  |  eric 30/12/07
  11.   at this rate they`ll have 1000 members by the year 2500! 09:47  |  sarah 30/12/07
  12.   # 8 nothing to be proud about what you stand for 09:51  |  believer 30/12/07
  13.   They did`t end the ocupation, but they got Kiriat Shmona bombed.. 09:57  |  Terry 30/12/07
  14.   re: Proud Woman in Black 10:11  |  Efox 30/12/07
  15.   re: eric 10:19  |  Efox 30/12/07
  16.   Thanks to the "women in black": 100` 000` 000 Israel-haters less 10:34  |  Swiss (Dino) 30/12/07
  17.   Woman in Black can happily move to Gaza.... 10:53  |  mk 30/12/07
  18.   Proud Woman in Black - MOVE TO GAZA..You will happy there... 10:55  |  mk 30/12/07
  19.   Dai l`kibush 10:56  |  Iz Ray Leigh 30/12/07
  20.   To #8 11:04  |  Choni Davidowitz 30/12/07
  21.   Swiss Dino 11:07  |  Dr Eric 30/12/07
  22.   BRAVO Women In Black! Good Luck To You As You Continue Your Work. 11:19  |  Proud Pal Defender 30/12/07
  23.   Women in Black, thank you 11:20  |  Ben Alofs 30/12/07
  24.   eternal stupidity always gets a place in the dark 11:24  |  victor hardman 30/12/07
  25.   Dino (Swiss) where are the Arab women in black? 11:31  |  Iz Ray Leigh 30/12/07
  26.   # 21 Dr eric 11:40  |  Swiss (Dino) 30/12/07
  27.   Proud Woman 11:50  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 30/12/07
  28.   swiss dino 11:55  |  toblerone 30/12/07
  29.   # 25 Iz Ray Leigh 12:40  |  Swiss (Dino) 30/12/07
  30.   As Saddaams rockets hit Israel scatter brains were demostrating - 12:51  |  PETER SM 30/12/07
  31.   ben alofs "in israel there are decent people" 12:56  |  pal groupie 30/12/07
  32.   # 15 no efox; you`re wrong... 13:21  |  eric 30/12/07
  33.   #26 swiss Dino 13:26  |  dr eric 30/12/07
  34.   #29 more toital and unmitigated crap from the cuckoo clock 13:30  |  victor hardman 30/12/07
  35.   Women in black!! Peace for Terror!! 13:30  |  dr eric 30/12/07
  36.   Women in Black - Thanks for Suicide bombers!! 13:32  |  Dr Eric 30/12/07
  37.   Women in Black,Peace Now,Haaretz, as welcome by Pals as a pimple 16:06  |  Sam 30/12/07
  38.   Blessed are the peacemakers... 16:25  |  Teresa-Maria (Tess) 30/12/07
  39.   Prouf of The WIB - Their Civility Should Be Contageous! 16:36  |  sotiiii 30/12/07
  40.   # 8 Losers! 20 years later and still they seem idiotic 16:49  |  Petra 30/12/07
  41.   # 7 Chaim AMEN!!! 16:50  |  Petra 30/12/07
  42.   # 9 Eric AMEN! 16:51  |  Petra 30/12/07
  43.   Eric, Eric, Please get real! 16:58  |  Petra 30/12/07
  44.   # 11 Sarah lol. 16:58  |  Petra 30/12/07
  45.   WOMEN IN BLACK 17:18  |  The Teacher/Instruct 30/12/07
  46.   A NAKED MARCH IN HOLY CITY OF JERUSALEM? 17:57  |  indrajaya 30/12/07
  47.   32 Erica squats in New Mexico, land stolen from Native Americans 18:00  |  The Equalizer 30/12/07
  48.   Women in Black 18:02  |  Mary P 30/12/07
  49.   Justice will prevail 18:31  |  Proud Woman in Black 30/12/07
  50.   About freaks and fools 18:41  |  SLAVO 30/12/07
  51.   women in black 18:44  |  su (tzomet nachshon) 30/12/07
  52.   WIB-Dhimmies or dummies 18:46  |  B 30/12/07
  53.   Yes, the arab occupation of Israel continues 19:12  |  smarter then olmert 30/12/07
  54.   Proud Woman in Black 19:17  |  rich 30/12/07
  55.   Women in Black 19:33  |  Mary P 30/12/07
  56.   Women In Black = Consensus 20:11  |  Ussishkin 30/12/07
  57.   Were Olmert`s Family Members Part of this Idiocy ? 20:14  |  Tod Zuckerman 30/12/07
  58.   WIL THEY GO TO PAKASTAN 20:23  |  TOBIA 30/12/07
  59.   Why "black" 20:24  |  JoJo 30/12/07
  60.   we stand for human rights 20:53  |  Proud Woman in Black 30/12/07
  61.   proud women in black 21:52  |  buggeroff 30/12/07
  62.   Figleaf of respectability for terrorists 21:58  |  Schtarker Yid 30/12/07
  63.   Woman in Black #60 22:33  |  Terry 30/12/07
  64.   Neostalinism in Black 22:41  |  hetongzhi 30/12/07
  65.   Teresa-Maria (Tess) Can you provide Palestinian 22:55  |  USALovesIsrael 30/12/07
  66.   Proud woman: 23:02  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 30/12/07
  67.   Among the few people who care about Israel 23:11  |  Anton 30/12/07
  68.   Proud Woman in Black Do you have chapters in Palestine 23:24  |  USALovesIsrael 30/12/07
  69.   re #64 Hetongzhi `Neostalinism in Black` 23:39  |  Colin Wright 30/12/07
  70.   re #47 `32 Erica squats in New Mexico, land stolen from...` 23:49  |  Colin Wright 30/12/07
  71.   Kill them all. 23:54  |  Gordon