Report: Israel soldiers sexually harass Palestinian women at Hebron checkpoint

Israeli army soldiers have been sexually harassing Palestinian women at checkpoints in Hebron in the occupied West Bank, according to testimonies reported by Israel’s Haaretz newspaper.

A Palestinian woman from the city of Hebron told the paper that on 17 August, a soldier exposed himself to her while she was crossing the Tamar checkpoint in the Tel Rumeida neighbourhood. After taking down part of his trousers, the soldier asked her: “Do you want it? Come and see.”  She said the incident had traumatised her that now she is too scared to walk by herself.

The newspaper quoted other women from the Tel Rumeida neighbourhood saying that the incident reflects a general atmosphere that allows for the harassment and humiliation of women crossing the checkpoints.

With some victims of such abuse saying occupation forces going through their personal pictures on their phones while holding their hands or taking pictures of them as they passed through the checkpoints.

They reported that the treatment of women has deteriorated since the beginning of the war on Gaza, and that the situation has worsened in recent weeks with a spike in verbal abuse and other forms of undignified treatment.

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