Speaking of honor killings...

Police unsurprised by the Seventh Honor Killing of Ramle Family Member.
The discovery of the body of 19-year-old Hamda Abu-Ganem in her home in the Ramle neighborhood of Juarish didn't surprise Ramle Police Superintendent Yigal Ezra. Although many people, including Ezra, tried to help Abu-Ganem run from the fate that awaited her, she remained in her parents' house - and became the seventh woman in her family to be murdered in an "honor killing" in as many years. Three youths were arrested for the crime yesterday and are expected to face a remand hearing today.

"A few young criminals in Juarish set up a group that decides which of the women has violated the honor of the family," said Ezra. "For instance, if a woman spoke to someone on a cell phone, or laughed with a man, that is sometimes considered a violation of the family honor, from their perspective. They plan how the murder will take place, who will carry it out and even find an alibi for the murderer. From the moment someone is marked, there is no way out."

Hard to imagine blaming the police for it...
"Aida Touma-Suleiman, director of the non-profit Women Against Violence, said police are largely to blame for the continued deaths of Arab women in honor killings. 'The murderers are criminals, and the police have to get their hands on them, but they tend to look away, not investigate and not reach the [stage of] indictments,' she said. 'In the last 20 years, there have been 24 instances in which women have been murdered in Ramle and Lod. How many of the murderers were captured? When people have no sense of security, it's clear they won't go and talk to the police, because afterward they'll be hurt."

The police response...(and it is chilling.)
Shfela region police, Commander Yifrah Duchovny, said it is outrageous to blame the police. "The police invest tremendous effort in every such murder case, but the work involved is much harder because there is a phenomenon of silent consent to these murders - whether from fear or because of worldview," he said. "The hardest part at these crime scenes is the quiet: Each time my stomach turns over in finding the body of a young girl, and around her the house is quiet. Everyone stands silent. There is no crying, there is no shouting and there is no cooperation."

The hardest part is the quiet...

Honour Killings