A shocking report from human rights experts has uncovered that Israeli soldiers and settlers are systematically using gendered violence, sexual assault, and harassment to coerce Palestinians into leaving their homes in the occupied West Bank. This disturbing tactic is reportedly accelerating displacement and severely impacting daily life for Palestinian communities.
Escalating Sexualized Attacks Since 2023
The study, titled "Sexual violence and forcible transfer in the West Bank," documents a rise in sexualized attacks and humiliation targeting Palestinians in their own communities and homes since 2023. Researchers recorded 16 cases of conflict-related sexual violence over the past three years, but this number is believed to be a significant undercount due to the shame and stigma survivors face.
Reported incidents include forced nudity, invasive body cavity searches, Israelis exposing their genitals to minors, threats of sexual violence, urinating on Palestinians, and distributing humiliating photographs of bound and stripped individuals. The report notes that Israeli soldiers present during such abuses have repeatedly failed to intervene or prosecute perpetrators.
Impact on Women and Girls
Sexual violence is having devastating effects on Palestinian women and girls. To avoid contact with potential assailants, many girls have quit school, and women have stopped working. This has also led to an increase in early marriages, as parents seek to protect their daughters by moving them away from threats. The report cites at least six families who arranged weddings for girls aged 15 to 17.
Kifaya Khraim, advocacy unit manager at the Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counselling, stated, "Girls aren’t going to schools, and you see early, forced marriages. These are minors, but we know their mothers and fathers are trying to protect them by sending them out of the area."
Broader Culture of Impunity
Milena Ansari of Physicians for Human Rights – Israel highlighted that this rise in sexualized violence occurs within a broader culture of impunity for attacks on Palestinians. She pointed to a recent decision to drop charges against soldiers for a filmed rape at the Sde Teiman centre as a clear signal that Israeli officials are effectively condoning such acts.
Ansari added, "There was a discussion in the Knesset about whether or not it is OK to rape a Palestinian. Even the prime minister didn’t say that Israel opposes raping detainees."
Methodology and Response
The report is based on 83 interviews with Palestinian communities across the West Bank, including those facing settler violence and movement restrictions. Participants included at-risk individuals, displaced persons, women, youth activists, and community leaders. The findings are not statistically representative but provide a stark overview of the situation.
The Israel Defense Forces did not respond to allegations of sexual abuse by soldiers. Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has called for international criminal court intervention, labeling some settlers as "Jewish terrorists."
