In the immediate aftermath of October 7, before the dust had settled and the wholesale destruction of Gaza had commenced, claims of sexual assault and rape were quickly plastered across newspapers by Western feminists.
High-profile figures penned pieces about not believing Jewish women and the undermining of the #MeToo movement, with the claim of “systematic rape” lapped up by governments, Israeli military officials, and swathes of undiscerning media alike.
Establishing the facts of sexual violence during wartime is challenging, especially as the Israeli government deliberately muddies the waters by shifting narratives, presenting witnesses with undisclosed ties to the government, and suspending normative investigative practices.
But while we should always believe women and remain outraged by rape, it’s clear the claim of “systematic rape” was weaponised by the Israeli government to justify the massacre of Palestinians. ….more
