Times are a changin’.
Women in Saudi Arabia are allowed to attend sport events.
In a few months, women in Saudi Arabia will be allowed to drive a car.
Photos of the new Saudi auto dealership for women only
show women covered in black from head-to-toe.
In Iran, Wednesdays have become protest days for women,
removing their white head coverings in protest to Islamic rulers.
And in Israel?
In Jerusalem, Israel, head coverings are important.
Without a red hijab,
how could we know this young woman in Aroma was an Arab girl?
World Champion gold-medal winner Anna Muzychuk
became news when she refused to wear an abaya
for the World Championship chess tournament held in Saudi Arabia.
Around the same time,
an interesting tourist group of women arrived
at the Western Wall Plaza.
Escorted by two men,
a group of young women in traditional Muslim dress
mingled with locals and other tourists.
I was on my way home, but I
stayed to watch the reaction to the women at the Kotel,
the Western Wall, on that sunny afternoon.
There was none.
As they went close to the Kotel and stood there
no one seemed to pay attention – but me!
They took the normal tourist photos.
As the women wandered through the crowd,
even their male escorts gave them space.
One woman waited outside the toilets for her friends.
Did anyone take notice?
From my vantage point above,
I noticed her taking the time to offer a prayer.
Her shoulder bag was from Milli Gorus,
which started in Turkey in 1969,
and is the most influential Islamist organization in Germany.
However, I am not sure where they live.
Arab tourism has increased,
and Muslim groups from Turkey and England are not unusual.
Next time I see a group of young Muslim women
I plan to ask them where they live and how their trip is.
Will these women go back home and tell the truth?
In their traditional dress,
no one bothered them as they walked freely.
Israeli Arab girls and women in malls
or older women alone on side streets
know they have nothing to fear.
As a friend noted about 15 Real Photos of Arab Girls,
“Because somehow the “nude” got attached,
it will remain viral.
It will outlive the mythical cockroaches in a nuclear war.”
Last year that post had almost 15,000 views,
my hope is some of those voyeurs
from every country in the world,
will see the truth about what is really happening
on these Jerusalem, Israel streets,
these real photos of Arab girls.
