The women of Gaza

The most extraordinary aspect of modern feminism is their insane support for all sorts of anti-Western, anti-American and anti-Israeli countries and organizations. Why should anyone who cares about women's rights and liberties be on the side of Israel, for instance? Because it is the only country in the Middle East where those rights and liberties are taken for granted. What of Gaza, the non-functioning Palestinian state that so many people spend their time supporting?

Here is Phyllis Chessler on the story of the journalist and writer Asma'a Al-Ghoul, who has written very movingly at the rapid enslavement of the Palestinian women, who had been among the best educated, most advanced of the female Arab population.

Ms Chessler tells of what happened when Asma'a was on the beach and wore nothing but jeans and a t-shirt. Immodesty, followed by arrest and the beating up of her male companions, as well as threats of further action. She also publishes the first part of Asma'a Al-Ghoul's own essay. It is one of the most depressing documents I have seen for a long time but, I suspect, that American and British feminist writers and organizations will continue to lambast Israel and, probably, President Sarkozy for starting a movement to ban the burqua.