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Hamas Declares War on Lingerie Mannequins

By Max Fisher
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As both a democratically-elected political party and a hard-line religious paramilitary force, Hamas sometimes struggles to govern the Palestinian territory of Gaza it represents. The English-language edition of pan-Arab newspaper Asharq Alawsat reports that Hamas is now forbidding lingerie stores from displaying mannequins.

The Islamist rulers of the Gaza Strip have ordered lingerie shops to display more modesty.

A week after banning women from smoking water pipes in public places, the Hamas-run police force has told stores selling women's underwear to remove scantily-clad mannequins and any posters of racy undergarments.

"These measures have stemmed from complaints and pressure by ordinary people. They have to do with upholding our traditions," police spokesman Ayman Al-Batniji said on Wednesday.

The 1.5 million Gazans under Hamas's  rule, though surely grateful for this decisive blow against lingerie mannequins, might be more concerned about recovering from the 2008-2009 war or easing the Israeli blockade strangling the Gazan economy. Al Jazeera's Gregg Carlstrom quips, "Another decisive blow against occupation."

This article is from the archive of our partner The Wire.