According to a report by the West Bank Protection Coalition—a group composed of international humanitarian organizations—Israeli soldiers and settlers have systematically used sexual violence and harassment to force Palestinians out of their homes in the occupied West Bank.
The report, released on Sunday and titled "Sexual Violence and Forced Transfer in the West Bank," documents at least 16 conflict-related incidents of sexual violence over the past three years, attributed to Israeli settlers and soldiers. Researchers note that the actual number is likely significantly higher, as survivors often remain silent due to shame, stigma, and fear of retaliation following reports of such crimes.
Those Palestinians who chose to come forward described being harassed, attacked, and intimidated by Israeli settlers and soldiers in their own homes—including being forced to undress, subjected to invasive body cavity examinations, exposed to genitalia by adults targeting minors, and threatened with rape. Men and boys also reported being forced to strip, subjected to sexual humiliation, and treated with degrading indignity. More than 70% of surveyed families cited threats against women and children—especially sexual violence—as the decisive factor behind their decision to leave their homes and communities.
"What prompted my decision to relocate was the harassment my wife, daughter, and daughter-in-law endured," a Palestinian community member is quoted saying in the report. "When my son and I go to work, settlers frequently follow the women, whistle at them, and throw stones. I’m afraid that while I’m away, my family might suffer harm due to this constant settler violence."
The report details cases attributed to both Israeli soldiers and settlers, noting that settler abuses often occur under the watchful eyes of the Israeli military, which fails to intervene or conduct effective investigations. The report also emphasizes that sexual violence is not incidental but rather described as a deliberate tactic of forced displacement.
Palestinian families have adopted coping strategies, including relocating women and children to safer areas, withdrawing girls from school, or arranging early marriages to reduce the risk of harm.
These findings emerge amid Israel’s accelerated land seizure in the West Bank, including February’s approval to register vast areas of the territory as “state property”—the first such move since 1967—making further settlement expansion possible. This step has been hailed by hardline Israeli nationalists as a "true revolution" aimed at strengthening control over the Jerusalem region.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1863160534802435/
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