Western-backed Israeli Torture and Sexual Abuse of Palestinian Prisoners

For the first time a few days ago, footage was released showing Israeli soldiers sexually assaulting a Palestinian prisoner. This film showed how the Israeli soldiers tortured this Palestinian prisoner in the worst form of mental and physical torture with ferocity and inhuman behavior. But this footage was not the only act of rape and torture against Palestinian prisoners. Betsalim law firm, which is a Hebrew-language institute located in Tel Aviv, published a report confirming that the cases of sexual torture of Palestinian prisoners are much more than just one. In the report, at least 55 Palestinians arrested since the October 7 attack have been interviewed, and in these interviews, humiliating treatment, arbitrary beatings and sleep deprivation, as well as frequent use of sexual violence have been confirmed in various degrees and intensities. 

Torture narrative 

Fadi Baker, a 25-year-old Palestinian young man, said in his interview with New Arab that the occupation forces "put cigarettes on my body... They put clamps on my testicles which were attached to something heavy and this torture continued for a whole day and as a result my testicles swelled." In this interview, keeping prisoners with completely naked bodies in freezing degree in refrigerators is also mentioned as a part of torture.

Also, in another report, a Palestinian prisoner died hours after being released by the Israelis in the center of Gaza. Eyewitnesses have said that this "half-life captive" was left alone with severe injuries in the anus area, his intestines were torn and his ribs were broken.

Ibrahim Salem, 36, who was recently released after eight months in captivity, told Middle East Eye that "most prisoners are released with rectal injuries [from rape]." He held that along with about 100 others, they were left in the rain for two nights in just their underwear before being taken to the barracks. Of course, he was transferred to the barracks with his hands tied behind his back, legs tied and blindfolded. It is said that in the cell, the feet of the prisoners were untied, but they were kept without food for two days and small bottles of water was distributed among all of them. Then they were called one by one for questioning. 

Not only Betsalim law firm has published reports of torture in Israeli prisons, but also recently the United Nations Human Rights Office confirmed in a report that at least 53 Palestinians have died under severe torture in Israeli military facilities and prisons since October 7. Meanwhile, many of these tortures have been accompanied by sexual abuses.

Backing crimes 

Though it is claimed that several military forces were detained and questioned by the defense ministry in connection with the abuses in the Israeli prisons, the reactions of Israeli officials reveal their support to these crimes. Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin said that he was shocked to see the soldiers being detained since it is unacceptable to detain the soldiers. 

In reaction to the arrest of the the soldiers, Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir said that the soldiers "must have our full support." Energy Minister Eli Cohen said that "we should all hug and salute the soldiers, not interrogate and humiliate them." Even during a televised debate in the Israeli media, one of the Israeli experts suggested that the use of rape as a form of torture in prisons should be legalized. All these stances bear witness to an attempt to normalize crimes against the Palestinian prisoners. 

At the same time, it seems that the arrest of the Israeli soldiers for investigation of the torture and abuse is an attempt to curb expansion of this case and avert its being raised to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). 

West turning an approbatory blind eye 

Despite the existence of hundreds and even thousands of reports and undeniable evidence of Israeli torture and sexual abuse of prisoners, so far there has been no international protest at these crimes. It is unbelievable that not even a comment has been made condemning these tortures by the political leaders of the West. Nothing has been heard from US President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been completely silent in reaction to this issue. Even most of the English media, with the exception of a few limited cases such as the Guardian newspaper, are generally silent about these crimes or have passed by with a short news story. These are actually signs of a crisis-ridden society that does not set any red lines for Israeli aggressors and does not even value their own international laws, while torture in prisons is prohibited and illegal according to the Vienna Convention.

Ongoing Israeli tortures 

A report published by Joseph Massad, a professor of modern Arab politics and intellectual history at Columbia University, suggests that the Israeli military at least since 1967 has systemically used torture and rape against the Palestinians, something the rights groups revealed years ago. Indeed, sadism has been characteristic of the Zionist colonists' treatment of Palestinians since the 1880s, he adds. This sadism and the sexual torture that often accompanies it are rooted not only in European colonial hubris but also in orientalist views that Arabs only "understand force" and are allegedly more susceptible to sexual torture than white Europeans," his report published by Middle East Eye says. This method of colonialism and coercion is one of the most important roots of understanding Israel's occupation and crimes in Palestine.