Feminism, rape, and Israel. Content warning.

[ArthurbellaScott]

https://unherd.com/2023/11/metoo-unless-youre-a-jew/

I skipped parts of this article, specifically the first person account.

The rest of it I think is an important read.

A thread recognising Israeli heroines. If you're on X it's worth looking at them all.

https://x.com/HenMazzig/status/1730273782479090145?t=J00-CffCLJ61ES4KKl4IXQ&s=09

https://twitter.com/HenMazzig/status/1730274169256812621?t=J00-CffCLJ61ES4KKl4IXQ&s=19

I saw a photo of Noya in the first few days after October 7th. That may even have been how I found out that children were amongst the people abducted.

She was so sweet and joyful in that picture. I cannot imagine the agony it must be for her family to know her life was ended this way.

Janice Turner in the Times:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/5cde7d20-7ff4-4e2d-9c34-955841215151?shareToken=6bfa33598becfad7017ab6a29aa809d0

A lot of UN and red cross workers in Gaza are Palestinians plus other charity workers. That is normal for most countries. It provides employment to people and means they have people working for them that really know the area and the civilians. However it does mean in situations like this people like Hamas members can infiltrate these organisations very easily. Therefore manipulate the information given.

A lot of journalists currently in Gaza are Palestinians too ( so potentially Hamas) They are highered for the same reason of knowing the area and access. That is another way groups like Hamas can manipulate inform.

God, that's excoriating.

'only silence. Nothing from the feminists who at the height of #MeToo threw men to the Twitter hounds for a lecherous pass. Nada from the hashtag activists, open-letter actresses, influencers, podcasters, the period poverty posse, the menopause matriarchs. Zilch from the big-time feminist charities and human rights lawyers lavished with public funds.'

Yes. Shame on them, and thank goodness for Janice and others now starting to speak up.

Extraordinary article from Janice Turner again, says what many of us are thinking but doesn’t fit the “most oppressed “ narrative currently running . There is an equally powerful piece from Gaby Hinslife in the Guardian, and letters are invited, unusually .(sorry can’t seem to link) both are essential reading

I came here to link Janice's article too. Not easy reading, her anger leaps off the page. Owen Jones should be ashamed of himself.

I thought both articles were great, thank you for the links.

I also thought it was noticeable how many of Gaby Hinsliff's Guardian colleagues - Marina Hyde, John Harris, Jonathan Freedland, Lucy Mangan, John Crace ... and others I've forgotten - were queuing up on Twitter to praise it yesterday.

A day late and a pound short, the lot of 'em.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/womens-rights-experts-press-un-to-condemn-hamas-crimes-against-women-on-oct-7/

'Israeli women’s rights experts met with the United Nations mission UN Women on Wednesday for the first time in order to advocate for official recognition of Hamas crimes against women and children on October 7, which have been largely ignored on the international stage.
The Civil Commission of Oct. 7 Crimes by Hamas Against Women and Children was set up by Israeli international law and women’s rights experts in order to draw international attention to the crimes of rape and sexual violence committed by Hamas during its October 7 onslaught in southern Israel — of which there is forensic and eyewitness evidence — and to advocate on behalf of the victims.'

Article from last week

Ah, an archive link to a Haaretz article on the commission above. I'll try to get a live link.

Meanwhile, I find this section really shocking:

'Reem Alsalem, a special rapporteur at the UN Human Rights Council, whose role is to monitor whether member states meet the international standards for protecting women against violence. “I received an email in which she demanded to see ‘proof’ for our accusations,” Elkayam-Levy says. “She is a rapporteur of Jordanian-Palestinian background who recently released a statement describing October 7 as the day Israel launched a genocide.'

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-11-30/ty-article-magazine/.highlight/hamas-campaign-of-rape-against-israeli-women-is-revealed-testimony-after-testimony/0000018c-2144-da36-a1de-6767dac90000

Long and upsetting article.

She said what??!!

That is some crazy twisted statement

And we did see it.
The first videos released were of a young woman with grey joggingpants - all blodied. I remember feeling so sick and sad for her, and had to switch off. Just horrendous.

I am not jewish, but I lay full responsibility for these atrocities and the war on Hamas.

The rest of the arabic and muslim world wants nothing to do with Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood. Egypt is terrified and have had enough troubles of their own on the Sinai.

It is «apartheid» on the West Bank and in Gaza from Israel, because from what I gather Israel may not apply their laws to Palestinian citizens as they are not annexed to Israel and so they must apply war laws to them. Not sure if I got this right.

But Israel cannot win. Too little retaliation and they will be seen as easy pickings. Too much and they lose the public favour.

Hamas has explicitly stated they are at permanent war against Israel and Jews. They have no thoughts for the suffering they are causing their own people. It is truly despicable.

Reem Alsalem has been excellent on the dangers of self ID so her stance on this is even more shocking than the general UN response. Janice’s article is hard hitting and brilliant.

I wish Janice had made the point about Owen Jones that he'll believe a burly bloke that he's a woman (the special male kind, deserving of consideration, presumably due to the possession of a penis) but won't believe the overwhelming evidence of rape of Israeli women by Hamas.

I don't know how clear his dangerous misogyny needs to be before the Guardian does something to stop his hateful rhetoric against women.

But yes, otherwise great article.

57 days after October the 7th attacks, UN Women have finally condemned atrocities committed by Hamas.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/eight-weeks-after-oct-7-onslaught-un-women-condemns-brutal-attacks-by-hamas/

'The women’s rights group UN Women issued a statement on Saturday condemning the Hamas terror group, 57 days after some 1,200 were killed and over 240 kidnapped in the brutal Hamas-led October 7 massacres in southern Israel, and amid weeks of criticism over its silence about evidence of sexual violence during the attack.
The UN Women statement led with “regret” that fighting had resumed between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, after a seven-day truce which saw 105 civilian hostages released from Gaza in exchange for 210 Palestinian prisoners.
“We unequivocally condemn the brutal attacks by Hamas on Israel on 7 October. We are alarmed by the numerous accounts of gender-based atrocities and sexual violence during those attacks,” the statement continued.'

The statement:

https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/statement/2023/12/un-women-statement-on-the-situation-in-israel-and-gaza

I've been reading that some of the Nova survivors have killed themselves...

There is now also an article by Christina Lamb in the Times. It's a heart wrenching read:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/78d415db-37e9-4845-82b3-a1c96094ce79?shareToken=eef2c8ce5c4d1185705afdc673741abb

Oh no

It wouldn't surprise me though. What those poor people went through and now have to live with

Survivor's guilt will be a factor for many of the released hostages, too.

This Is the thread that should be highlighted on the conflict in the Middle East section!!!!!!

I'm not at all surprised to see feminists being dismissive tbh after the recent thread on here where they were actively downplaying the Rotherham sex scandal and gaslighting posters that were saying many traditional Islamic cultures were patriarchal/repressive to women (which I agree with tbf).

All in the name of misguided political correctness.