8th Apr 2024

UN experts call for probe into alleged killing and rape of Palestinian women by Israeli forces

By C. Rice, PPEmpire

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ISRAELI FORCES HAVE repeatedly killed, raped, beaten and humiliated Palestinian women and girls in their custody.

A panel of UN experts has expressed alarm at “credible allegations of egregious human rights violations” against Palestinian women and girls.

In a statement issued today, the group of human rights experts called for an impartial and urgent investigation into reports of Israeli troops and officers arbitrarily executing, raping and beating women and girls.

“We are particularly distressed by reports that Palestinian women and girls in detention have also been subjected to multiple forms of sexual assault."

Israel has already faced condemnation for its treatment of men in the custody of its military after photos and videos emerged of lines on detainees, stripped to their underwear and blindfolded, sitting on the streets of Gaza.

Israeli soldiers have been posting videos from Gaza on social media sites that show them humiliating Palestinian prisoners and the Israel Defence Forces recently acknowledged their responsibility for a channel that gleefully posted videos of graphic violence and the desecration of dead Palestinians.

Last week, the Euro-Med human rights NGO reported that Israeli civilians had been invited to watch the interrogation and torture of Palestinians in Israeli custody.

One newly released man, Omar Abu Mudallala, 43, told the NGO that Israeli soldiers “brought Israeli civilians to watch our nude torture.”

“We are shocked by reports of the deliberate targeting and extrajudicial killing of Palestinian women and children in places where they sought refuge, or while fleeing. Some of them were reportedly holding white pieces of cloth when they were killed by the Israeli army or affiliated forces,” the experts said.

“There are disturbing reports of female infants forcibly transferred by the Israeli army into Israel, and of children being separated from their parents, whose whereabouts remain unknown,” they said. 

GENEVA (19 February 2024) – UN experts* today expressed alarm over credible allegations of egregious human rights violations to which Palestinian women and girls continue to be subjected in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Palestinian women and girls have reportedly been arbitrarily executed in Gaza, often together with family members, including their children, according to information received. “We are shocked by reports of the deliberate targeting and extrajudicial killing of Palestinian women and children in places where they sought refuge, or while fleeing. Some of them were reportedly holding white pieces of cloth when they were killed by the Israeli army or affiliated forces,” the experts said.

The experts expressed serious concern about the arbitrary detention of hundreds of Palestinian women and girls, including human rights defenders, journalists and humanitarian workers, in Gaza and the West Bank since 7 October. Many have reportedly been subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment, denied menstruation pads, food and medicine, and severely beaten. On at least one occasion, Palestinian women detained in Gaza were allegedly kept in a cage in the rain and cold, without food.

“We are particularly distressed by reports that Palestinian women and girls in detention have also been subjected to multiple forms of sexual assault, such as being stripped naked and searched by male Israeli army officers. At least two female Palestinian detainees were reportedly raped while others were reportedly threatened with rape and sexual violence,” the experts said. They also noted that photos of female detainees in degrading circumstances were also reportedly taken by the Israeli army and uploaded online.

The experts expressed concern that an unknown number of Palestinian women and children, including girls, have reportedly gone missing after contact with the Israeli army in Gaza. “There are disturbing reports of at least one female infant forcibly transferred by the Israeli army into Israel, and of children being separated from their parents, whose whereabouts remain unknown,” they said.

“We remind the Government of Israel of its obligation to uphold the right to life, safety, health, and dignity of Palestinian women and girls and to ensure that no one is subjected to violence, torture, ill-treatment or degrading treatment, including sexual violence,” the experts said.

They called for an independent, impartial, prompt, thorough and effective investigation into the allegations and for Israel to cooperate with such investigations.

“Taken together, these alleged acts may constitute grave violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, and amount to serious crimes under international criminal law that could be prosecuted under the Rome Statute,” the experts said. “Those responsible for these apparent crimes must be held accountable and victims and their families are entitled to full redress and justice,” they added.

* The experts: Reem Alsalem, Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences; Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967; Dorothy Estrada Tanck (Chair), Claudia Flores, Ivana Krstić, Haina Lu, and Laura Nyirinkindi, Working group on discrimination against women and girls.

The experts are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN human rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms. Special Procedures mandate-holders are independent human rights experts appointed by the Human Rights Council to address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent of any government or organisation and serve in their individual capacity.

Special Rapporteurs and independent experts are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to report and advise on specific thematic issues or country situations.

They work on a voluntary basis and are independent of any government or organization. They serve in their individual capacity and are not UN staff and do not receive payment for their work.

Written by freelance investigative journalist Christopher Rice who's Vote Strike movement helped to spawn the Occupy Wall Street, Tea Party, People's Party and Black Lives Matter movements. READ MORE: Call for a General Strike Gaining Huge Momentum (Op Ed News)

And in 2011 and again in 2013, Christopher Rice helped to coordinate hunger strikes in protest of inhuman and degrading conditions of confinement in California's state run prison system.The hunger strikes also spurred successful litigation that would ultimately end the use of long-term solitary confinement in California.

Do yourself a favor. Think for yourself. Be your own person. Question everything. Stand for principle. Champion individual liberty and self-ownership where you can. Develop a strong moral code. Be kind to others. Do no harm, unless that harm is warranted. Pretty obvious stuff...but people who hold these things in their hearts seem to be disappearing from the earth at an accelerated rate. Stay safe, my friends. Thanks for being here.

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