Gaza Dress Codes Regs Reversed . . . But

2009 September:. In noting the possible imposition of religious requirements in public schools throughout the Holy Land, we recently pointed out that in Gaza female lawyers were being required to wear the hijab (hair covering) and high school girls were being required to wear long dresses, leggings and the hajib, all in alleged accordance with Islamic law or views. The New York Times is now reporting that those regulations have been reversed.

This of course is a good thing for Christians. However the Times also reports that the Gaza education minister said that any new uniform or dress requirement is "an individual thing." Unofficial requirements can be just as compelling as official ones so it is no surprise that the Times also reported that at the beginning of this school year in August "a number of high school girls were told to return home to cover their heads and dress in the long coat known as the jilbab." In addition the Times reported that while 98% of girls in one area abided by the strict dress code, that number appeared to be declining in the in the second week, at least (the Times made no prediction as to whether is expected the decline to continue). And it also noted that in poorer areas full compliance continued.