Exclusive; Emily Schrader: Israelis Support Iranians' Fight Against the Islamic Republic's 'Gender Apartheid' Regime

A mural featuring images of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini and two women who were victims of the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, alongside images of some victims of the 'Women, Life, Freedom' protests, was unveiled on Sunday, March 6, in Berkeley, California. Emily Schrader, an Israeli journalist and activist in Israeli-Iranian relations, was among those present at the unveiling ceremony. Her name also appears on a list of signatories of an open letter titled 'Middle Eastern Women United Against the Global Terrorism of the Islamic Republic of Iran,' which calls for global condemnation of Iran's extensive relations with Hamas and the designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization by the international community. In an exclusive interview with the Persian section of Voice of America on Tuesday, March 7, Schrader answered questions related to this and had a special message for the people of Iran, especially Iranian women. The Global Impact of the Islamic Republic's 'Terrorism' Schrader stated that the purpose of unveiling the mural featuring the image of Mahsa (Zhina) and the victims of the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack was to highlight the impact of 'the Islamic Republic's terrorism on people around the world,' including Christians, Muslims, Jews, and other minorities. She mentioned Sheryl Haympour, whose image is in the mural, as one of the Israeli-Iranian women killed in the Hamas attack. Schrader added that the participants in the mural unveiling came from diverse backgrounds, including Israeli Arabs and Jews, Iranian Muslims and Christians, and atheists, who passionately spoke about their 'shared goal of protecting women and preventing the export of the Islamic Republic's terrorism worldwide.' Critique of Weak Western Leadership and the Need to Add the IRGC to the EU's Terrorist List In another part of this exclusive interview, Emily Schrader criticized what she called the 'very weak leadership' of Europeans, as well as Canada and the United States, in the face of the Islamic Republic. She explained an open letter recently signed by '55 women from 12 different Middle Eastern countries,' including herself, which received a warm welcome from many Arab women. According to this Israeli journalist activist, adding the IRGC to the EU's terrorist list would prevent Iranian-affiliated companies and officials from continuing 'money laundering' in European countries, thus complicating the financing of the Islamic Republic's terrorist proxy groups. This women's rights activist added, 'It is important to remember that we truly have a shared destiny regarding these issues. The people of Israel and the people of Iran are on the same side, and Europe, the United States, and the entire West must cooperate with us in fighting the Islamic Republic of Iran and protecting the rights of Middle Eastern women.' Similarities Between the IRGC and Hamas According to Emily Schrader, there are many similarities between Hamas and the IRGC or the Islamic Republic itself, including its morality police, and this should not be surprising given Iran's annual financial support of $100 million to Hamas. This women's rights activist noted that 'the use of sexual assault as a weapon of war and sexual violence as a method of war against women' is among the similarities between the Islamic Republic and Hamas. She described the Islamic Republic's use of this tactic over its 45 years of rule in Iran as an 'absolute crime,' reminding that the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon have also adopted similar practices against women. Schrader emphasized that this tactic of the Islamic Republic will fail because the peoples of Iran and Israel are 'among the most resilient societies known in human history.' Message to Iranian Women Against the Islamic Republic's 'Gender Apartheid': Keep Going Emily Schrader sent a message to Iranian women, stating, 'As an Israeli, I am 100% with you.' She added, 'You are not alone. We support you. Not only me but the people of Israel also support you. Keep going. Keep going because the only way to defeat the evil of regimes like the Islamic Republic is to continue the struggle.' This women's rights activist concluded by saying, 'The state of Israel, from the government to the people in the streets, all support the demands of the people of Iran for regime change and the realization of a free Iran where the rights and civil dignity of all citizens, especially women who have suffered from gender apartheid for over 45 years, are respected.'