Palestinian women have been sexually assaulted by Israeli soldiers throughout the past 75 years, but researchers say they are only beginning to speak out about their experiences as incidents have mounted since the 7 October attacks.
The cases are so similar, despite happening in different locations and involving different branches of the Israeli military and police, that those documenting them suspect a directive has been handed down.
“You hear these women being sexually assaulted and strip-searched and beaten on their genitals in the West Bank, in Jerusalem and in Gaza, being treated by different bodies of the Israeli system but also being sexually assaulted in the same way,” Kefaya Khraim told Middle East Eye.
It wasn’t always the case that Khraim and her colleague, Amal Abusrour, who both work at the Ramallah-based Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counselling and spoke at length with MEE during a recent visit to London, would hear so many stories.
For decades, many Palestinian women have kept sexual violence they’ve experienced at the hands of Israeli soldiers to themselves, not even sharing it with their closest friends or family.
I feel bad saying this, but I already assumed as much. Whenever stuff like this happens, assault becomes a pastime for them. It’s disgusting, but not surprising.
Israel was founded by rape, murder, and theft. Their descendents justify these actions, glorify the perpetrators, and follow in their footsteps by committing the same heinous crimes. Rapists, murderers, and thieves. . . That is all they are, and it is time they are treated as such: Rapists, Murderers, and Thieves.
It’s crazy how they and the west propagandised for years about terrorism and Islamism when their biggest allies like use, Israel and Saudi Arabia are the biggest reasons the Muslim world is the way it is. Israel is a vile nation and while I believe the cycle of hatred needs to be breaked, if I was a Palestinian, I would want every single Zionist (not every Israeli) dead or gone
