ISRAEL: Palestinian documentary film "Nazek" focusing on the lives of Palestinian women in Arab society premieres in Nazareth

Record ID: 396580

  • Title: ISRAEL: Palestinian documentary film "Nazek" focusing on the lives of Palestinian women in Arab society premieres in Nazareth
  • Date: 22nd October 2007
  • Summary: AUDIENCE
  • Embargoed: 6th November 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Israel
  • Country: Israel
  • Reuters ID: LVA3PHVYTUAYQJUBBKW6I0PO61QI
  • Story Text: A new documentary entitled "Nazek," which deals with the role of women in Arab society, premiered in Nazareth on Saturday (October 20).
    The documentary film follows the story of an Israeli-Arab policewoman called Nazek Helou as she goes on her daily patrols around Nazareth and undergoes police training.

    "I chose to talk about women because we are living in a traditional and male driven society, which in general marginalises women and puts them to one side. I wanted to show that there is a place for women and that women can be even better than men at certain things," said the film's director Ramez Kazmouz.
    Nazek Helou, who attended the film's premiere on Saturday, said it was a difficult decision for her to embark on a career as a policewoman.

    "It is a challenge, or it is a brave step to take in my society.
    Not many think about this or even dream about being in this career. I suppose it's not really a challenge for me but I was brave to choose this field,"
    she said.
    Saturday's screening attracted a full house, but although the audience enjoyed the film, many disagreed with Helou's carreer choice.

    "The documentary supported the idea that the woman can be in all the fields, but in my opinion, the privacy of the Arab and Palestinian woman must be protected. If this is protected, then the she can have a positive role in society," said Kamal Khatib, who is the deputy leader of the Islamic movement in Israel.

    "I love her (Nazek) so much, but I would not allow my sister or daughter to be a policewoman, never. We were raised with different views which are far away from working as policewomen or from serving in the army. But Nazek as a character is great," added another audience member, Lubna Rinawi.
    The struggle to advance the rights of Palestinian women is taking place in a society were some consider women to be secondary and their work without economic value, and this, according to the film's director, is what attrected to the project.

    "For me, my ideas and my interests are in the issues of women in general and not only in this documentary. This is very important and I want to pass my ideas onto people so that they will see that women have a central role in society so that they are no longer sidelined. This is important to me," said Kazmouz.
    The United Nations recently called on Israel and the Palestinian Authority to ensure the safety and rights of women in the occupied territories.
    Islam assures women sole control of their inheritance and grants them property rights. Muslims say their holy book, the Koran, guaranteed women their economic and social rights long before Western women attained them.
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