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Palestinian pedestrians gawked at the unusual sight of female police officers directing traffic in Ramallah on Wednesday, the first batch of women to venture into a job traditionally reserved for men in the West Bank.
The women wore uniforms of navy blue pants and light blue shirts and many donned navy blue headscarves, a sign of Muslim modesty. Some male police officers sneered at the women as they directed traffic and kept pedestrians from jaywalking on their first day on the job.
The new recruits are part of the first class of Palestinian policewomen who recently completed a European Union-sponsored training program, part of a broader EU effort to improve ill-equipped Palestinian law enforcement agencies.
In addition to directing traffic, their duties also include conducting traffic patrols, house searches and security checks on women in prisons and universities.
Roles of authority for women are widely frowned upon in conservative Palestinian society, but several bystanders said they were impressed.
"This is wonderful — watching Palestinian women enforcing law and order," said Fuad Murar, 59.
Ashjan Abu Srour, a 23-year-old policewoman, wore an Islamic headscarf as she coaxed an elderly couple to walk on the sidewalk, not on the road.
"I was a little afraid in the beginning, because our society imposes a certain lifestyle for women," Abu Srour said. "But now, after spending some time in the street, I am not afraid."
According to the most recent EU count, the overall number of females in the Palestinian civil police service was only 500 compared to more than 18,000 men. The women were confined mostly to clerical and administrative duties.
© 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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- Public Discussion (16)
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{"commentId":1264676,"authorDomain":"drdianewakat"}
Good for the Palestinians! Note yesterday's article about the women in the Iraqi force being required to hand in their guns or be penalized in their salary. Isn't it strange that the group least in favor with the current administration is the one that allows their women to work in the police force, while the Iraqis do not?
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-policewomen11dec11,1,7397870.story?coll=la-headlines-world">http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-policewomen11dec11,1,7397870.story?coll=la-headlines-world
{"commentId":1264676,"threadId":"188527","contentId":"1159930","authorDomain":"drdianewakat"}
- 3 votes
#1 - Wed Dec 12, 2007 10:18 PM EST{"commentId":1264746,"authorDomain":"kylen"}
Are you talking about Hamas in Gaza? These women are serving in Ramallah it says the West Bank under the Fatah President not Hamas. Why is it that every news story somebody takes a swipe at Bush and Iraq, and not a particularly well educated one at that. Lack of impulse control perhaps.
{"commentId":1264746,"threadId":"188527","contentId":"1159930","authorDomain":"kylen"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1264964,"authorDomain":"prez"}
Low hanging fruit.
{"commentId":1264964,"threadId":"188527","contentId":"1159930","authorDomain":"prez"}
{"commentId":1265100,"authorDomain":"fechancellor"}
YEAH, GOOD FOR THE PALS, AND A LOOKER ABU MAZEN. DIANE PLEASE SEE....FOR WHAT I THINK OF YOUR FAUX FRIENDSHIP AND YOUR PROFESSION IN THE FLOCKING MAIN.
http://tncolmoon2.newsvine.com/_news/2007/12/12/1159951-the-u-s-in-asia-27-july-1990
The U. S. in Asia (27 July 1990)
WHEN YOU CAN WRITE SOMETHING THIS PREDICTIVE AND NUANCED AND PULL IT OUT 15 OR SO YEARS LATER AND SAY GODDAMN WHAT A TOUR DE FORCE, YOU JUST LET ME KNOW......
YOU ARE OFF MY FRIENDS LIST, AND I DON'T SEE MUCH OF A PATHWAY BACK!
{"commentId":1265100,"threadId":"188527","contentId":"1159930","authorDomain":"fechancellor"}
{"commentId":1273368,"authorDomain":"prez"}
What?
{"commentId":1273368,"threadId":"188527","contentId":"1159930","authorDomain":"prez"}
{"commentId":1273445,"authorDomain":"krishna109"}
YEAH, GOOD FOR THE PALS, AND A LOOKER ABU MAZEN. DIANE PLEASE SEE....FOR WHAT I THINK OF YOUR FAUX FRIENDSHIP AND YOUR PROFESSION IN THE FLOCKING MAIN.
http://tncolmoon2.newsvine.com/_news/2007/12/12/1159951-the-u-s-in-asia-27-july-1990
The U. S. in Asia (27 July 1990)
WHEN YOU CAN WRITE SOMETHING THIS PREDICTIVE AND NUANCED AND PULL IT OUT 15 OR SO YEARS LATER AND SAY GODDAMN WHAT A TOUR DE FORCE, YOU JUST LET ME KNOW......
YOU ARE OFF MY FRIENDS LIST, AND I DON'T SEE MUCH OF A PATHWAY BACK!
Do you walk to school-- or carry your lunch?
{"commentId":1273445,"threadId":"188527","contentId":"1159930","authorDomain":"krishna109"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1264705,"authorDomain":"jerwelman"}
Ashjan Abu Srour is the ' foremost ' example now of ' policing ' and implementing good morale traffic laws around the road of Palestine and nearby.
The world will pursue seeing her career go miles in the future. CONGRATULATIONS~!
{"commentId":1264705,"threadId":"188527","contentId":"1159930","authorDomain":"jerwelman"}
- 1 vote
#2 - Wed Dec 12, 2007 10:29 PM EST{"commentId":1265012,"authorDomain":"niteqwill"}
Good for them. The world changes, eventually. For the good (or bad), only time will tell.
{"commentId":1265012,"threadId":"188527","contentId":"1159930","authorDomain":"niteqwill"}
#3 - Thu Dec 13, 2007 12:40 AM EST{"commentId":1265032,"authorDomain":"zaki"}
Praise Allah, Jesus, and the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
I just told 2 of my friends who are Palestinian women. They will both be thrilled. It's definitely a step in the right direction in terms of more equality for women in the workforce.
{"commentId":1265032,"threadId":"188527","contentId":"1159930","authorDomain":"zaki"}
#4 - Thu Dec 13, 2007 12:51 AM EST{"commentId":1265173,"authorDomain":"webquack"}
Only because I have unusual observance issues.... What's up with the Chosen Hitler Looking Pic #1 ?
And on another note.....
"Palestinian pedestrians gawked at the unusual sight of women directing chaotic Ramallah traffic on Wednesday"
Get used to it you religious idiots... evolution happens...
{"commentId":1265173,"threadId":"188527","contentId":"1159930","authorDomain":"webquack"}
- 1 vote
#5 - Thu Dec 13, 2007 3:06 AM EST{"commentId":1273450,"authorDomain":"krishna109"}
Only because I have unusual observance issues.... What's up with the Chosen Hitler Looking Pic #1 ?
And on another note.....
"Palestinian pedestrians gawked at the unusual sight of women directing chaotic Ramallah traffic on Wednesday"
Get used to it you religious idiots... evolution happens...
A positive step.Let's hope the fundamentalist crazies don't behead her.
{"commentId":1273450,"threadId":"188527","contentId":"1159930","authorDomain":"krishna109"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1265230,"authorDomain":"FlyingScotsman"}
About time women be allowed to have a say.
{"commentId":1265230,"threadId":"188527","contentId":"1159930","authorDomain":"FlyingScotsman"}
#6 - Thu Dec 13, 2007 4:57 AM EST{"commentId":1265372,"authorDomain":"drdianewakat"}
The point of my first comment was directed at the fact that at least the Palestinians, in this context of allowing women to be on the police force, are one group of Muslims who are not practicing fundamental extremism related to a woman's ability to earn a living.
In contrast, the article which I cited about the Iraqi's forcing the women on the police force to turn in their weapons or suffer economic consequences was a striking comparison within a 2-day news cycle. That it happened under the Bush administration's purview is reality, given that they decided to invade Iraq in the first place. What happens historically in Iraq will be considered as such until US troops pull out of that country. The same statement would be made for any presidential administration - the consequences of their actions will be attributed to them, whether it is Lincoln, Garfield, Reagan, Clinton, Bush I or Bush II.
If you are criticizing me for saying something 'good' about the Palestinians, and placing it in the context of 'them vs. us and you chose them', then you have entirely missed the point of my comments. Everyone who is qualified should be allowed to have a job, irrespective of their gender, race or religion.
{"commentId":1265372,"threadId":"188527","contentId":"1159930","authorDomain":"drdianewakat"}
- 1 vote
#7 - Thu Dec 13, 2007 7:54 AM EST{"commentId":1266575,"authorDomain":"kylen"}
I was criticizing you for mis-stating the article (difference between Hamas and Fatah) then tying it to an unrelated event (Iraq) in a political statement (anti Bush). It was a form of manipulation, a common one but still annoying. There is plenty of chaff to wade through without more people jumping in trying to make it worse deliberately.
This move to employ women police is good for the Palestinians and I hope it causes some soul searching in the power structure across all of the Palestinian territories.
{"commentId":1266575,"threadId":"188527","contentId":"1159930","authorDomain":"kylen"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1267173,"authorDomain":"drdianewakat"}
This move to employ women police is good for the Palestinians and I hope it causes some soul searching in the power structure across all of the Palestinian territories.
And in Iraq, where some women whose husbands have been killed are forced in to prostitution to feed their families.
{"commentId":1267173,"threadId":"188527","contentId":"1159930","authorDomain":"drdianewakat"}
- 1 vote
#8 - Thu Dec 13, 2007 4:25 PM EST{"commentId":1267324,"authorDomain":"niteqwill"}
Usually it is the other way around:
Bad guy knocks on the door, threatens husband, husband disagrees with bad guy, bad guy rapes women and kills children, husband is still alive.
Prostitution in Iraq is usually unmarried women who have already been raped and deemed "scarred" by the local populous. And they eventually disappear with time (or move away).
{"commentId":1267324,"threadId":"188527","contentId":"1159930","authorDomain":"niteqwill"}
- 1 vote
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