Israeli women strip in support of Egypt blogger

Dozens of Israeli women stripped off their clothes in a show of solidarity with the 20-year-old Egyptian blogger who caused a stir in the Arab world when she posted a naked photo of herself in protest against the limits on free expression in her country.

Touched by the spirited protest measure, some 40 Israelis posed for a nude group shot in support of the Egyptian activist, Aliaa Magda Elmahdy, who received threats and harsh criticism for her actions. Unlike Elmahdy, however, the Israeli women did not fully display their intimate parts for the camera.


Controversial: Aliaa Elmahdy invited threats after she posed nude on
her blog


The brains behind the operation is Or Tepler, who opened a Facebook event inviting women "to show support in a non-violent and legitimate way for a woman who is just like us -- young, ambitious, full of dreams and evidently has a developed sense of humour."

"Girls, let's give the world a good reason to see the unique beauty of Israeli women," Tepler wrote. "Regardless of whether they are Jewish, Arab, straight or Lesbian -- because here, as of now, it doesn't matter. Let us show the doubters that our international discourse doesn't depend on governments."

More than 100 women attended the event. The participants were photographed holding a sign saying 'Love without Limits,' and 'Homage to Aliaa Elmahdy. Sisters in Israel.'

"I didn't expect that she would get the response that she got. It got on my nerves that she received a quarter of a million abusive comments and death threats," said Tepler.