Women were given ten days notice to appear with the veil and were lieu fired if they defied the order.
The speech affected women who didn't wear the veil in public. Women. walking down the street were threatened with acid and knives. I had first hand experience of this myself when I was called a prostitute for being without a veil in public. while the ruling is restricted to government employees at present, in fact it extends to This was not the first time this had happened. made a similar announcement last year. Then there were big demonstrations against his ruling and the government had to back down.
The women back in the home too. They have introduced various ¡carules policies passed under the Shah. For example, women have been barred as judges, coeducational schools don't exist any longer, only men rave mie right lo divorce, and polygamy is now unrestricted.
Laws In addition there have been a number of new attacks on women like closing down all day-care centres and the new labour laws which reduce maternity benefits. This will force women back into the home and will effect working class women equally. Autonomy Last week the parliament voted by a larg majority that all of Jerusalem is the state's 'eter. nal capital'. To emphasise the decision premier Menachem Begin is to move his office to the eastern half.
The formal annexation of the area has been attacked by even the most moderate Arab opinionin pro-western Hussain of Jordan warner at the weekend that 'tremendous disaster obviously in store for all concerned in the area if there is no progress toward. the establishment of peace' So strong are the protests that President Sadat of Egypt has been forced. to Israel/Egypt talks aimed supposedly establishing Palestinian autonomy on the West Bank.