Women from the West Bank to the Gaza Strip and from Beirut to Berlin chanted "No free homeland without free women," in a concerted effort to bring gender equality in Palestine to the forefront of social and political discourse rather than allow it to remain in the shadows of the national liberation.

“We're told [it is] national liberation first and [only then is it time for] women's emancipation,” Riya Al-Sanah, co-organizer of the demonstrations, told Al-Monitor, adding, “We do not accept this separation anymore. What kind of liberation are we talking about if it doesn’t include women?”

Al-Sanah is a member of the grassroots feminist organization Tal’at, which means “coming out” in Arabic. She worked with local groups to ensure the demonstrations took place simultaneously on Sept. 26. The demonstration in Haifa — with nearly 1,000 protesters — was held without interruption. But protesters in Jerusalem — the majority of whom were women — were confronted by Israeli soldiers as they hoisted the Palestinian flag. Video footage emerged showing Israeli police violently pushing and breaking up the demonstration. 

In Ramallah, protests focused on violence against women and femicide. The protesters ended their march in front of the Palestinian Medical Complex — the main government hospital in the city — where a 39-year-old woman from Jenin was being treated for injuries inflicted by domestic violence. Protesters said her legs were broken as a result of her family beating her, and she may end up with both legs amputated. The demonstrations were sparked by the recent femicide of 21-year-old Israa Ghrayeb from Bethlehem, who was allegedly beaten to death by the hands of male relatives, hauling into the spotlight the prevalence of domestic violence in Palestine.