Hamas appoints first woman to political bureau
Hamas announced March 14 appointing a woman as a member in its political bureau for the first time since its establishment in 1987, in an attempt to improve its image to the world and deny the patriarchal aspect of its leadership structure.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Hamas announced March 14 the appointment of a woman as a member in its political bureau for the first time since its creation in 1987, as part of its current internal elections.
Jamila al-Shanti, 64, is the first woman to become a member of Hamas’ political bureau that is made up of 15 members.
Shanti, who is a resident of Jabaliya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, has a bachelor's degree in English from Ain Shams University in Egypt. She worked as a lecturer at the Faculty of Education at the Islamic University in Gaza and became Hamas’ member in the Legislative Council in 2006. She is also the former minister of women’s affairs.
Shanti gained wide popularity in Hamas circles, after she led a feminist march Nov. 3, 2006, to lift the siege of the Israeli army on 70 Hamas militants who were hiding in An-Nasr mosque in Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza. Two participants in the march were killed by Israeli bullets and dozens were injured.
