Hamas uses women to improve its image ahead of elections
The Gaza-ruling faction Hamas, an ideological offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, has taken a surprising move by electing a woman to its politburo for the first time.
The new move
comes amid fears inside Hamas from the results of the next Palestinian
elections, slated for mid-May.
According to a
statement by Hamas, Gamila al-Shantali won a politburo membership, along with
Fatma Sharab who is the head of the Women's Section at Hamas.
Hamas rejected
the election of women to its politburo for a long time in the past.
Commenting on
her election, al-shantali said she would spare no effort in carrying out her
duties inside the Hamas politburo.
There was a
desire inside the movement for the appointment of a woman inside the politburo,
she said. Then, my brothers and sisters selected me.
Al-Shantali
was a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council (parliament) in 2006. She
was then appointed as the Minister of Women's Affairs in the Palestinian
government.
She expressed
hopes that she would be up to the good expectations of those who selected her
for politburo membership.
Using
women
Hamas works to
improve its image by exploiting women, even as it claimed for a long time in
the past that women were far from capable of carrying out political duties.
Other
political movements and parties did the same before Hamas. However, most of
these movements and parties do not believe that women are capable of doing
anything. When they enlist the services of women, these movements do this only
in order to make up a show.
Ennahda in
Tunisia, another ideological offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, uses the same
technique in impressing the West by appointing women to its politburo.
