<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Occupied Palestine | فلسطين]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[occupiedpalestine]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/author/hajarhajar/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Hamas and Women: Clearing&nbsp;Misconceptions]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<table border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="100%" align="center">
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<td class="normal_text" style="padding-left:15px;" align="right">17:12 01/12/2011</td>
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<td height="15px" valign="top"><img src="https://i2.wp.com/palestinechronicle.com/images/separator.jpg" alt="" width="510px" height="1px" /></td>
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<td align="center"><img class="border" src="https://i2.wp.com/palestinechronicle.com/uploads/1294870363gaza_girl_menassat.jpg" alt="" vspace="2" width="400px" height="300px" /></td>
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<td class="caption_text" align="center">The Palestinian woman in Gaza is educated and has a voice. (MENASSAT)</td>
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<td class="normal_text" style="padding-top:10px;"><strong>By Dr. Ahmed Yousef – Gaza </strong></p>
<p>Women  in every society have a different perception of their respective roles,  which are generally molded by social and cultural norms. Evidently in  many parts of the world, these social and cultural norms have restricted  women of their due rights. Islam has liberated women of such  restrictions by emphasizing social equality and granting women the right  to work as part of their freedom of choice. Although wearing the Hijab  is a religious obligation, it is inarguably an issue between a woman and  God. No one is allowed to force a woman to wear Hijab if she chooses  not to, nor does the religion allow anyone to interfere with her if she  chooses to take it off. Furthermore, an individual or a group of  people&#8217;s choice to practice their religion and follow its teachings and  principles must be respected and not judged according to certain  standards set by others.</p>
<p>Women in the West were granted some of  their basic rights fairly recently. Not until the 20th century were  women completely allowed to work, inherit, vote, own property, and even  protect themselves from violence. The feminist movement was a reaction  to a male-dominant society that oppressed women on many levels. Islam,  however, had freed women politically, economically, and socially since  their birth, approximately 1430 years ago. Thus, feminist movements and  fighting governmental institutions were never necessary. It cannot be  denied that many individuals within the Islamic region, just like in  every other society, oppress women regardless of all beliefs and laws.  But it is crucial to note that these actions are not based on true  Islamic ideology, but rather is a reflection of traditions that Islam  abhors and condemns. Hamas, as an Islamic organization, is keen to  implement the true Islamic principles and teachings with regards to  women, completely independent of certain cultural norms and societal  backwardness.</p>
<p>Hamas, as a national liberation movement, works to  put an end to the Israeli Occupation and its injustice and oppression of  the Palestinian people, and has no plans in creating a state with a  particular type of government. Its only goal is to end the Israeli  occupation and thus all attempts to engage the whole population,  regardless of gender or age, in the liberation movement is a necessity.  God states in the Quran, &#8220;The Believers, men and women, are protectors  of one another; they enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil.&#8221;  Clearly, Islam entitles women and men to cooperate to fulfill their  commitments. Understanding the importance of collaborative and  complementary roles between men and women, Hamas engages women in all of  its departments. There are female participants in the Consultative  Council, which is responsible for the outline of the overall strategy of  the Hamas movement and the decision-making body. There are also women  who are active in the Political Bureau, Cultural Bureau, and an  additional committee specialized in women&#8217;s affairs within the movement.</p>
<p>Women in Gaza play an active role in politics and their  involvement in the workforce is widespread. Many women hold occupations  at universities, work as doctors and engineers, run charities and  schools, and even hold leadership positions in unions and students’  councils. In the elections of 2006, women in Hamas were fully mobilized  to reach out to Palestinian women and encourage them to participate in  the parliamentary elections. Hamas nominated tens of women for office  and three of them were appointed as members of parliament, one as a  minister, 60 as General Directors, and tens of others took leadership  positions in different ministries. In addition, from the six Education  Departments located in the Gaza Strip, three of them are directed by  women.</p>
<p>The misconception that Hamas subjugates women by  implementing social restrictions and snatching away their rights is an  absolute fallacy. The role of women in the Palestinian society and  within the liberation movement is a momentous one. Women have proven to  be significant contributors in all possible fields that include, but are  not limited to, politics, education, charity, and social work. The  Palestinian woman in Gaza is educated, she has a voice, and she is worth  no less than any man.</p>
<p><em>&#8211; Dr. Ahmed Yousef is the Deputy of the  Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Former Senior Political Adviser to  Prime Minister Ismail Haniyah in Gaza. He contributed this article to  PalestineChronicle.com.</em></td>
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<p><a href="http://palestinechronicle.com/view_article_details.php?id=16546">Hamas and Women: Clearing Misconceptions</a>.</p>
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