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Report Says Israeli Settlers and Soldiers Use Sexualised Violence to Drive Palestinians From West Bank

The findings point to lax enforcement that fosters impunity.

Overview

  • A coalition of humanitarian groups reports that sexualised abuse by Israeli settlers and soldiers is pressuring Palestinians to leave parts of the occupied West Bank.
  • Researchers interviewed 83 people in 10 Area C communities, a zone under full Israeli control, and logged at least 16 cases of conflict-related sexual violence.
  • Accounts describe sexual assault, forced stripping, invasive searches, threats of rape, public humiliation and the sharing of photos of victims.
  • More than 70 percent of displaced families cited threats to women and children as decisive, leading to school dropouts, lost jobs and early marriage as protective steps.
  • The report says soldiers at some scenes failed to stop attacks or investigate, and rights groups highlight the army’s recent reinstatement of five soldiers in a separate Sde Teiman case as a sign of impunity.