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When Israa Ghrayeb died on August 22, 2019, her body was covered in bruises and her spine was broken. She was only 21 years old.
If one believes the Prosecutor's charge, she was beaten to death by three family members near Bethlehem. Apparently because she was familiar with her fiancé on Instagram - and had not waited until after the wedding.
Ghrayeb's death sparked protests in the Palestinian territories and fueled the discussion about the violence committed in Palestine as "honor killing". Also because the young beautician on social media had several thousand followers and maintained contacts with foreign bloggers.
Just before her death, she had shown herself on Instagram for the last time - in the hospital. She had apparently been badly wounded days before. Now, she wrote in the post, she was waiting for an operation on the spine. "Do not tell me to be strong," she added. "I am strong."
لم أستطع النوم هذه الليلة..صوت صراخها في المستشفى في الفيديو المتداول لا يفارقني. # اسراء_غريب الله يرحمها
تؤكد بعض الجهات
انها تعرضت للضرب المفضي للموت
أرفض الظلم والإضطهاد بكل اشكاله كيف عندما يمارس على إمرأة!
"الله ينتقم من كل ساقط يمارس تخلفه وجهله وتسلطه على امرأة" pic.twitter.com/iNKSpVLlnb
In the net, the news of Ghrayeb's death spread rapidly. Among the hashtags "We are all Israa" and "No honor in killing", users shared their story. Thousands of women's rights workers took to the streets in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Arab women are still in great danger and are getting a word for humanity just as they are
أين هن القوارير اليوم! ️ # كلنا_اسراء_غريب pic.twitter.com/y2RsmyhSpg
Randa Siniora, 59, is the director of the Women's Center for Legal Aid and Counseling (WCLAC), based in Ramallah. She has been watching lawsuits on domestic violence in Palestine for about three decades, and has heard countless stories of family violence.
SPIEGEL: Israa Ghrayeb's death has triggered a wave of protests - on the net and on the street. It was even reported that it was the first time that there was a charge of so-called honor killing.
Randa Siniora: That's wrong. There have been multiple convictions of family members for women's murders. There must have been charges for that. One example is the death of feminist Wafa Ghazawneh in September 2017: Actually, everyone had assumed a natural death. However, after a year and numerous investigations, the prosecutor brought charges of murder against her husband. Your case is currently being negotiated. The difference in Israa Ghrayeb's case is that prosecutor Akram al-Khateeb has publicly announced the charge - because the interest was so high.
SPIEGEL: How is Ghrayeb going now?
Siniora: The three defendants are currently in custody. They are interviewed. We called the responsible court a few days ago: the files have not arrived there yet.
SPIEGEL: Why does it take so long?
Siniora: I think you have prolonged the detention several times to get more information from the defendants. This is possible under Palestinian law - they can be held for up to 45 days until the files go to court.
SPIEGEL: Your organization is constantly dealing with cases of domestic violence and murder of women. Why did this case attract so much attention?
Siniora: It was the excitement in the social media. There is a Facebook group where Ghrayeb was discussed. She is called "Do you know him?" - The names of men who beat or cheated women are published there. The group has many members. In addition, Ghrayeb has made their circumstances visible to all. She is said to have been tortured before. Often the women are killed directly and therefore little is heard. Last year alone, according to our records, 23 women in Palestine were killed by family members.
SPIEGEL: You have been campaigning for women's rights in Palestine for over three decades. What has happened during this time?
Siniora: In the nineties, the issue of family violence was not addressed. We rented rooms for the women because there were no shelters. There was a big silence. That's over now. In addition, the Jordanian Penal Code was changed, which also applies in the West Bank. Article 308 was abolished in September 2017. It said that a man who rapes a woman and then marries her does not have to fear trial. Article 308 made a total of 13 different sexual offenses unpunished. That was very shameful.
SPIEGEL: What is the situation for women in Palestine today?
Siniora: The male dominance within the family and society is still very present. The mentality that men can legitimately rise above women. A good example is already the term "honor murder". That's just justification: he killed her because she violated his honor. I call it femicide, because it is about women or girls who have been murdered because they are female. Otherwise, it's just murder, you should call it murder and treat it like that.
SPIEGEL: How do policemen and society react to honor as a reason for violence?
Siniora: Many policemen have sympathy with the men who cite honor as justification. This is similar for the staff of the local courts. There are sometimes imposed minor penalties: two years in prison for the murder of a woman! Only if the case is heard before a higher court, there are more appropriate penalties. That is why we observe and document court cases. It takes a long time to change the mentality of a people. Nevertheless, these views are slowly shifting. The case of Israa Ghrayeb has once again shown that people are held accountable for their actions.
SPIEGEL: What needs to be done to protect women?
Siniora: Despite the changes, our laws are outdated: the term "sexual harassment" does not exist at all. Hatred against women in the net is not even hinted at. In addition, family affairs are still handled by Sharia courts and Orthodox courts. This complicates negotiations because cases of domestic violence are heard before the state criminal court. These fields overlap and then there is an authority problem. Some well-intentioned law also shows terrible side effects. The fact that women's murders and sexual violence are now being punished more strongly has led to more suicides. I can only assume that women are increasingly being forced to kill themselves.
SPIEGEL: What concrete consequences does Palestine draw from the Ghrayeb case?
Siniora: We women's rights activists have long campaigned for a comprehensive family protection law that protects women and children from male violence or domestic violence. Haifa al-Agha, Minister for Women's Affairs, said the bill should be passed before the end of the year. Maybe because of the attention this time, it will really be something.
This article is part of the project Global Society, for which our reporters report from four continents. The project is long-term and supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
What is the project Global Society?
Under the title Global Society, reporters from Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe will be reporting on injustices in a globalized world, socio-political challenges and sustainable development. The reportages, analyzes, photo galleries, videos and podcasts appear in the Politics Department of SPIEGEL. The project is long-term and will be supported over three years by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).
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Yes. The editorial content is created without the influence of the Gates Foundation.
Do other media have similar projects?
Yes. Major European media such as "The Guardian" and "El País" have created similar sections on their news pages with "Global Development" or "Planeta Futuro" with the support of the Gates Foundation.
Was there already similar projects at SPIEGEL ONLINE?
SPIEGEL ONLINE has already implemented two projects in recent years with the European Journalism Center (EJC) and the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: The "Expedition The Day After tomorrow" on Global Sustainability Goals and the journalistic refugee project "The New Arrivals" Several award-winning multimedia reports on the topics of migration and escape have emerged.
Where can I find all the publications on the Global Society?
The pieces can be found at SPIEGEL ONLINE on the topic page Global Society.