An Islamic fundamentalist group has called for the beheading of female Palestinian television anchors for dressing immodestly.About 50 anchors and employees from the government-run Palestine TV marched Sunday in Gaza City to protest the group, Swords of Truth, which released a statement accusing the female anchors of being “without any … shame or morals.”Even though most of the anchors wear head scarves, the anchors have come under fire for wearing makeup and Western-style clothes.Islamic extremity in Gaza has been rising, with more women now covering their faces with veils formerly a rare practice there. Swords of Truth has claimed responsibility for bombing about a dozen Internet cafes, pool halls and music shops for promoting vice.At the march from Palestine TV headquarters to the Palestinian Authority president’s office, anchor Sally Abed told the Islamist group, “Shame on you, the people working in this institution are your people if it’s not your sister, it’s your mother.”
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.