UN Specialists Allege Israeli Soldiers of Sexual Assault Against Palestinians

On the first day of hearings, the International Court of Justice in The Hague focused its attention on the legality of the control that Israel exercises over Judea and Samaria. Those who addressed the judges included Riad al-Malki, the Foreign Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian Authority representative to the United Nations, and a panel of UN experts.

Al-Malki expressed the Palestinian viewpoint with intensity, stating, “The Palestinians are living under conditions of apartheid and colonialism. Some people are taken aback by the use of such harsh words, but what should truly incite outrage is the reality of our existence. We are urging the court to officially acknowledge the illegality of the Israeli presence in the Palestinian territories and to take active measures to put a stop to it.”

Mansour, on the other hand, highlighted the ultimate goal of the court’s ruling. He said, “This court’s decision should aid in the cessation of the occupation, thereby laying the groundwork for a just and sustainable peace in which neither Palestinians nor Israelis lose their lives. It should forge a path towards a future in which both states coexist in a peaceful and secure environment.”

The UN experts who participated in the hearing claimed to have trustworthy evidence of gross violations of human rights by Israel, especially against women and girls. The allegations suggest that these women and girls are targeted and often killed alongside other family members, including children.

The issue of sexual violence against Palestinians also received significant attention during the hearing. The experts were quoted by Anadolu Agency as saying, “Israeli male officers have forcibly stripped them and conducted searches. In at least two documented cases, rape was involved, and many others were threatened with the same fate.”

Expert testimonies also suggested that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) shot at individuals who approached them waving white flags, abducted Palestinian children and transported them to Israel. One allegation even claimed that a Palestinian woman was forced to stay in a cage in the rain without any food.

The strategy of the Palestinian side appears to be to have Israel declared guilty of crimes against humanity. If successful, this would mean that the jurisdiction would be universal, and the court’s decisions would become legally binding.