sexual assault

At the entrance of the tent where Israeli settlers gathered and beat residents and activists, in the herding community of Khirbet Humsa in the Jordan Valley, March 13, 2026. (Oren Ziv)

‘I thought we were going to be raped’: A night of settler terror in the Jordan Valley

Settlers tied up and beat Palestinians and activists in the herding community of Humsa while sexually assaulting one man, amid a wave of attacks in the area.

By Oren Ziv March 17, 2026

A demonstrator protests outside the United Nations headquarters in New York City, calling attention to sexual violence against women during Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, December 4, 2023. (Yakov Binyamin/Flash90)

Where’s the outrage over ‘systematic’ sexual violence against Palestinians?

Despite mounting evidence of the army’s gender-based crimes, Israeli women’s groups have largely ignored or denied the UN’s damning new report.

By Samah Salaime April 17, 2025

Closed shops in the West Bank city of Hebron as part of a strike following the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, July 31, 2024. (Wisam Hashlamoun/Flash90)

Israeli soldiers systematically abusing Palestinians in Hebron, report reveals

Whipped with a belt, beaten in the groin, threatened with rape: Palestinians recount a pattern of arbitrary attacks in the West Bank city this year.

By Oren Ziv December 9, 2024

Latest

A protest marking International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women in Tel Aviv. (Activestills.org)

+972’s Person of the Year: The women standing up to sexual harassment

The women who spoke out in 2016 executed an unplanned pincer move. As accusations snowballed, women inspired one another to speak up. First and foremost, what 2016 should mean for Israel’s social institutions is that there are limits on power. Whether or not men acknowledge what they did as wrong, title or talent must not protect them.

By +972 Magazine December 30, 2016

Former Israeli President Moshe Katsav walks with his wife Gila, after releasing from Ma'asiyahu Prison where he served his sentence, December 21, 2016. (Aloni Mor/Flash90)

When a government shows more forgiveness to a rapist than a victim

An ex-president who has been convicted of rape is released from prison early, despite showing no remorse. Meanwhile, a rape victim who killed his assailant in self-defense remains behind bars, denied clemency. By OR Seri On Sunday, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin announced that he had rejected a request for clemency for Yonatan Heilo. Heilo, an Ethiopian immigrant,…

By +972 Magazine December 22, 2016

Ari Shavit on the Charlie Rose Show (photo: YouTube screenshot)

Ari Shavit’s non-apology

Haaretz columnist Ari Shavit apologizes for sexually assaulting an American journalist. Well, kind of. Eight days after American journalist Danielle Berrin published allegations of sexual assault against an Israeli journalist who she refused to name, Haaretz columnist and author Ari Shavit identified himself on Thursday and issued an apology “from the bottom of his heart…

By Mairav Zonszein October 28, 2016

Women protesters shout slogans during a SlutWalk against sexism in Tel Aviv, May 9, 2014. (photo: Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)

Why are so many Israeli women subjected to sexual harassment?

Reported incidents of sexual harassment, assault and rape by high-ranking Israeli officials are flooding their way into the media. Why is the violation of women’s bodies and dignity so endemic in Israeli society? Several days ago a story broke in Israel that has been dominating the headlines ever since: a senior Israeli army officer has…

By Natasha Soffer-Roth March 3, 2016

Palestinians citizens of Israel Israel participate in a demonstration in the arab town of Ramle on November 26, 2015 against domestic violence and rising number of women getting murdered. (Activestills.org)

Arab women are breaking the silence over sexual violence

Following a wave of violence against Arab women in Israel comes a revolutionary initiative that allows women and teenagers a safe space to share experiences of sexual violence. By Inna Michaeli A new initiative is providing Arab women and girls a safe space to share experiences of sexual assault and harassment. The website, Tusukteesh (Arabic…

By +972 Magazine December 13, 2015

Women from the West Bank city of Bethlehem march to protest honor killings and other forms of violence against women, Bethlehem, November 16, 2013. (photo: Ryan Rodrick Beiler/Activestills.org)

I won’t apologize for being a Palestinian feminist

When a prominent Muslim leader starts blaming women’s organizations for corrupting Arab society, it is time to say loudly and clearly: we cannot wait for the occupation to end to deal with women’s issues. I am neither a criminal nor a terrorist. Yes sir, I’ll admit it: I founded a women’s organization, and I wish to…

By Samah Salaime July 11, 2015

Women at the protest against 'rape culture' in Tel Aviv. Written on the women's bodies, from left to right, is "for raping" and "We won't turn our backs," March 29, 2014, Tel Aviv. (Photo by Keren Manor/Activestills.org)

How does Israel’s media fight sexual harassment? With racism

An Israeli news site runs a piece about Palestinian men sexually assaulting Israeli women at the beach, begging the question: why is this particular story newsworthy when stories about Jewish men assaulting Jewish women rarely are? Israeli news site Walla! ran an article [Hebrew] on Friday with the following headline: “Palestinians who come to Tel Aviv’s…

By Edo Konrad July 4, 2015

Illustrative photo: A judge ruling in court (Shutterstock.com)

The ‘reasonable person’ standard and murdering one’s rapist

Yonatan Hailu was convicted of murdering his rapist, Yaron Eileen, and sentenced to 20 years in prison because his actions did not meet the “reasonable person” standard. Did the judges not only hear but really listen to his testimony? Did they take his trauma into account? Did they understand that his soul was murdered, over…

By Haokets February 9, 2014

Eli Yishai visit detention camps for Asylum Seekers in the south (photo: Yotam Ronen / Activestills.org)

Interior minister exploits rape by Eritrean for anti-immigrant campaign

Prepare yourselves. Last May, when it was last announced that an Eritrean citizen raped an Israeli woman, Interior Minister Eli Yishai responded by placing thousands of asylum seekers, among them children, rape and torture victims and the elderly in administrative detention, all in accordance with Israel’s Prevention of Infiltration Law. In the wake of the…

By Laissez Passer January 3, 2013

Facebook won’t remove photo of woman ‘begging to be raped’

You may have heard about the massive cyber-war against the Reddit group “Creepshot”, which featured users sharing surreptitiously taken pictures of women’s cleavages, upskirts etc. The war hit the headlines when one of the thread’s contributors was revealed to be a school teacher taking pictures of his own students in class. It seems now that…

By Dimi Reider November 16, 2012