The statement and protest came after a mother from the town of Yatta, south of Hebron, killed her 21-year-old handicapped daughter on Thursday in what she claimed was to protect the family honor after a man apparently had assaulted her daughter.

The groups denounced the crime as “a disgrace” for every Palestinian who does not speak out or act to put an end to crimes against women that normally go unpunished.

They said that even though dozens of cases of “honor killing” have been reported in the Palestinian society, yet no attempt has been made to change the laws in a way to make such crimes punishable to the maximum.

“How many more women have to be murdered before you act,” said a group that fights violence against women addressing decision-makers. “Why does our Palestinian society stands helpless and unable to stop crimes of killing women.”

The groups, which have drafted an amendment to the Palestinian criminal law and presented it to President Mahmoud Abbas for adoption, urged its implementation as soon as possible to put a stop to murder of women under the pretext of protecting the family honor.

The current law treats honor killing with great leniency and normally the murderer goes away with a maximum of six-month prison term.

M.S.