Canadian FM calls for investigation of sexual violence against Palestinian women

• Published date: 13 March 2024
• Author: DARCIE GRUNBLATT
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

"We believe Palestinian women. Allegations of sexual and gender-based violence against them must be investigated, and Palestinian women must be supported. Today, I announced in the West Bank that Canada will commit $1milliom to support this important work," she wrote

The same day, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry invited the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramilla Patten, to investigate "Israel's well-documented sexual violence against Palestinian women, men, and children detainees and disappeared persons" in a press statement. There is limited data on this occurrence.

Patten conducted an investigation and compiled a report on Hamas's use of sexual violence against Israelis on October 7 and against the hostages in Gaza.

In her visit to the West Bank, Joly toured Al Mazra'a al Qibilya in the central region of the West Bank, near Ramallah, "to hear from Palestinians about impacts of the expansion of Israeli settlements and the rise of extremist settler violence," she posted on X. She met with Mayor Bassam Khatib and families in the region who were impacted by this occurrence.

She met with the Palestinian Foreign Affairs Minister, Riyad al-Maliki, and discussed "the need for increased humanitarian aid to Gaza, a sustainable ceasefire, with the release of hostages, and political dialogue towards a two-state solution, with the creation of a Palestinian state," she stated on X in a separate post.

Her visit to the West Bank was part of a larger diplomatic mission that included meetings in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates between March 6 and 9. Her tour to Israel and the West Bank began Monday and ended Wednesday, concluding her...