Israeli journalist urges rape to become state policy for Palestinian prisoners

ISTANBUL

An Israeli journalist advocated rape Thursday as an official policy by the state for Palestinian prisoners in the Israeli jails.

“The only thing that is a problem for me here is that it is not a regulated policy of the state to abuse the (Palestinian) detainees,” far-right journalist Yehuda Schlesinger said on a television program on Channel 12 when asked if raping prisoners is acceptable.

He justified his comments by claiming, “Because first of all, they deserve it, and it is great revenge that we need to give them.”

“And secondly, maybe it will also serve us a little more as a deterrent,” he said. “It is just a shame that we don't do it in an institutionalized way as a part of regulations for torture of prisoners.”

The comments follow reports by media outlets that showed a video of Israeli soldier raping a Palestinian detainee at the Sde Teiman Prison in the Negev desert in southern Israel.

Ten soldiers were arrested late last month for the alleged rape of a Palestinian detained in the detention center, with three being released Sunday after new evidence emerged.

Several reports emerged of severe abuses against Palestinian detainees since the start of Israel’s current offensive against the Gaza Strip last October.

Israel’s Supreme Court is considering a petition filed by Israeli human rights organizations regarding the treatment of Palestinian detainees at the prison, where detainees from Gaza face torture and medical neglect.

Israeli authorities often claim to investigate such incidents, but tangible results are rarely seen.

The incident sparked actions from far-right Israeli groups, which included an MP, a minister and demonstrators raiding a military court building to protest measures against the soldiers.