Gaza University To Enforce Islamic Dress Code On Females

Female students in Gaza strip are not too happy with a new Islamic dress code that will be enforced at the Al-Aqsa University next semester, even though 97% of them already do. Even they have problems with being forced to do something. Although administrators claim students will not be expelled for violations, and that they will merely be persuaded and lectured by faculty on the Islamic way of dress, who knows how long that will last.

One third-year student told Ma'an: "If I had known before that the university would impose Islamic dress, I would not have registered here in the beginning."

The woman, who declined to be named, said she does wear "Islamic" dress, but would not do so at anyone's order.

The dress code will be a little less restrictive than one would expect- no jilbab (long coat) or niqab (full face veil)- but will require loose-fitting clothing and long jackets. No mention of hijab in the Ma'an article, but I assume that too will be a requirement.

But it wasn't just the students themselves who are opposed to a mandatory dress code:

Meanwhile, the PLO denounced the decision, and said that it has dangerous social and political implications for Palestinian society.

In fact they took it one step further and said it was illegal and therefore "null and unenforceable".

Instead of lecturing the women on the "appropriate" way to dress, why not lecture the men on campus how to respect women.

I'm actually surprised it took this long, considering who is in charge of Gaza.