Iman Hareedy, a journalist with Palestine TV, published a letter via Facebook
asking Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to marry her on
Thursday.
Shortly after the letter was published, the 28-year-old Hareedy
was summoned to appear before a commission of inquiry belonging to the
Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation on Sunday.
Palestinian journalists
in Ramallah expressed fear that she may be fired or detained for “insulting”
Abbas.
In her marriage proposal to Abbas, Hareedy wrote: “I’m requesting
to marry your excellency so that I could have a dignified life and receive
humane treatment by society. I want to fulfill my ambitions and dreams, as well
as the dreams of many youths my age, who seek a decent job and facilities in
their lives.”
Hareedy said that her marriage proposal was designed to
“halt injustice against me and my colleagues. I’m not the daughter of an
official who is capable of providing his sons and daughters with anything they
want and dream of. I’m not the daughter of an influential man or leader. I’m the
daughter of an ordinary man whom I’m proud of.”
In her letter, Hareedy
said that “Palestinian reality has made me realize that a decent life and job,
and social, economic and even political privileges are reserved only for the
family of an official.”
Addressing Abbas, she added: “Your excellency, I
have academic qualifications and expertise, but the son of an official has his
father. Doors are shut in front of the sons of an ordinary citizen. Your
excellency, please put an end to this in your official and nonofficial
institutions. Please embrace our youths who are constantly thinking of
emigration.”
Hareedy later clarified that her goal was not to marry
Abbas, but to protest against nepotism in the PA.
She said her letter was
aimed at “relaying the suffering of Palestinian youths as a result of nepotism
and lack of work opportunities.”
Hareedy expressed hope that the PA
leadership would address the problems and difficulties facing Palestinian
youths.
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