CITIZENS NEWS

State Department refusing to call IDF's gang rape of an illegally detained Palestinian a WAR CRIME incident

By richardbrown // 2024-08-02

The U.S. Department of State has declined to categorize the rape of an illegally detained Palestinian prisoner by Israeli soldiers at the Sde Teiman detention facility as a war crime. Al Quds reporter Said Arikat questioned State Department spokesman Vedant Patel about the incident. The prisoner, who sustained severe rectal injuries, was transferred to a hospital and is reported to have suffered damage so severe that he could not walk. This incident is consistent with broader allegations of abuse at Sde Teiman, a facility previously described by Israeli whistleblowers and former Palestinian detainees as a site of widespread torture and mistreatment. Arikat asked Patel if such reports – of rape, torture and killing in Israeli detention camps – should be considered war crimes. Patel responded: "The reports of abuse are deeply concerning. We have consistently communicated to Israel and the IDF that all detainees must be treated humanely and with dignity according to humanitarian law." He added that the U.S. intends to let "due process" run its course regarding the Israeli soldiers involved. (Related: Only a failing US empire would be so blind as to cheer Netanyahu and his genocide.) When pressed by Arikat on whether proven abuse would qualify as a war crime, Patel stated: "I am not a legal expert. I imagine it would be inconsistent with Israeli law." The arrest of the Israeli soldiers accused of rape has sparked significant controversy and protests in Israel. Far-right activists and members of the Israeli Knesset or parliament, including one member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition, have rallied in defense of the soldiers and have even tried to argue that it should be legal to sexually abuse Palestinians.

UN commission accuses Israel of committing war crimes in Gaza

A new report from a United Nations-backed independent commission accused the Israeli military of committing war crimes in Gaza. Navi Pillay, chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, recently presented the findings to the UN Human Rights Council. The report alleged that Israel’s use of heavy weapons in densely populated Gaza was an "intentional and direct attack" on civilians, contributing to forced starvation, extermination, and severe mistreatment. It also asserts that Israeli forces engaged in sexual and gender-based violence, aiming to humiliate and further subordinate Palestinians. Pillay criticized Israeli operations for failing to achieve their stated objectives – destroying Hamas and freeing hostages – at the cost of thousands of lives. The commission found patterns of sexual violence perpetrated by Israeli forces and noted similar abuses against Palestinian women and men. The report also highlighted a deteriorating situation in the occupied West Bank, where violence against Palestinians has surged. While condemning the actions of Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups on Oct. 7, the commission emphasized that both sides have committed war crimes. Israeli attacks since Oct. 7 have resulted in over 38,000 deaths in Gaza, with 40 percent being children, according to local health sources. The report, the UN's first in-depth examination of the conflict since the start of the current war, also addresses the impact on healthcare and education in Gaza. Pillay lamented the Israeli government's denial of access to the commission, which has prevented a full investigation of the situation. The commission's findings, which include extensive documentation and annexes on both sides' actions, may influence future legal proceedings and Western policy toward Israel. Palestinian ambassador Ibrahim Khraishi thanked the commission for its report and condemned Israeli actions as part of a "genocidal war." At the council meeting, Israel featured an emotional address by the mother of a captive held in Gaza, calling for support against hostage-taking and exploitation. Human rights lawyer Toby Cadman indicated that while the report may not immediately alter Israeli conduct, it could affect future legal actions and lead to reconsideration of Western support for Israel. Watch this clip discussing how Netanyahu risks civil war with members of his own coalition if he prosecutes Israeli military members who sexually assaulted illegally detained Palestinians. This video is from the Neroke-5 channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

ICJ orders Israel to end its 57-year military occupation of Palestinian territories "as rapidly as possible." Israel seeks to label UN agency responsible for aiding Palestinian refugees as terrorist organization. Netanyahu demands U.S. expedite aid to Israel, says Americans protesting Israel 'stand with evil.' Sources include: News.AntiWar.com CBSNews.com Aljazeera.com Brighteon.com

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