When the Time is Rape

A while back, prominent Egyptian lawyer and women’s rights activist, Nagla Al-Imam, proposed that young Arab men should sexually harass Israeli girls as a means in the resistance against Israel.

And though I would like to take credit for the clever facetiousness, in calling Al-Imam both prominent and a women’s rights activist, I am sadly just stating the facts.

---

“In my opinion they are fair game for all Arabs, and there is nothing wrong with it…” she told Al Arabiya, one of the leading news channels in the Arab world.

To justify this, she claims Israel violates “our rights and rapes our land.”

Yes, Egypt the sanctuary that it is for its own citizens and “Palestinians” alike.

Only the other day did Cairo open its border to Gaza, a move widely seen as an attempt to deflect criticism of its own blockade.

And now some Gazans get to enter the human rights Mecca that has repeatedly tried to rid itself of Palestinians and continues to enforce apartheid upon those who remain.

Lest I digress, back to Al-Imam-Gurley-Brown…

In all newsworthiness, the Al Arabiya anchor, asks Al-Imam if it’s fair to expose the Arab youth to potentially violating sexual harassment laws.

(Because, Allah forbid, a young man gets in trouble for harming an innocent girl.)

To which she replies, “Most Arab countries, with the exception of three or four – which I don’t think allow Israeli women to enter anyway – most Arab countries do not have sexual harassment laws.”

I honestly do not know what is more troubling about this statement. The fact that Israelis are “not allowed” to enter certain Arab countries, or that most Arab countries do not have sexual harassment laws (as I’ve explained before to surprisingly few comments expressing shock or outrage from my lovely readers).

The women’s rights activist goes on to say, “Therefore, if (Arab women) are fair game for Arab men, there is nothing wrong with Israeli women being fair game as well.”

And like their Arab sisters, Al-Imam says the Israeli women have no right to respond.

Nagla Al-Imam Gurley Brown

So let’s review...

Al-Imam is a highly educated woman, a clear hater of Israel, and a women’s rights activist - presumably for the Arab women whom she says have no right to respond to sexual harassment and whom she refers to as “fair game” for Arab men.

Asked by the news anchor if this harassment should also include rape, Al-Imam says “no.”

But in this case “no” actually does mean “yes,” because a few seconds later she tells Israeli women, “… leave the land so we won’t rape you.”

Well then, as a Canadian, who does not consider herself a women’s rights activist (but a human rights activist), allow me to respond on their behalf, and on the behalf of the Arab women who have no right either.

First, I am outraged that this is old news from November 2008.

This story virtually went under the radar of mainstream media, and that’s why to me it is news now, and thus a relevant and contemporaneous article.

Second, imagine if an Israeli lawyer, or even an Israeli cobbler echoed the reverse of Al-Imam’s sentiments, and proffered that young Israeli boys should sexually harass and rape Arab girls.

Please, you tell me what would happen. (Literally, type your name, and comment below.)

It’s funny, when a friend initially showed me this anti-woman, anti-Israel video he expected for me to be shocked.

Unfortunately, though I found it disgusting and deplorable – on many levels – I wasn’t surprised.

From a young age, many in the Arab world are brainwashed to hate Israel. (Here’s a clip from a Palestinian kids’ TV show, with a Mickey Mouse clone teaching hatred and Islamic supremacy.)

Ironically, this results in perhaps an even greater hate-crime: Hatred towards one’s self and one’s own people.

Interestingly, in 2009 (after the above interview), Al-Imam announced that she had converted from Islam to Christianity.

This sent shockwaves through Egypt. As result, she was allegedly kidnapped, threatened, assaulted, and managed to escape, demanding protection from President Mubarak.

But since, it seems no one has heard from her.

Still, there’s surely nothing to worry about.

Al-Imam is probably alive and well, and we simply haven’t heard from her, because like she said, “Arab women have no right to respond.”

---