Terrorism and Collective Punishment

Khouloud Daibes: Israeli soldiers forcing women to submit to strip searches at checkpoints

Ma'an News Agency
June 30, 2007

Ramallah - Ma'an - Khouloud Daibes, the minister of Women's Affairs in the new emergency government, condemned the behaviour of Israeli soldiers in forcing Palestinians to submit to strip searches at a military check point near Beit Safafa, north of Bethlehem.

In a statement received by Ma'an, Daibes declared that several Palestinian women had raised complaints with human rights organizations and had petitioned Arab members of the Israeli Knesset over being taken to separate rooms in the checkpoint and being forced to remove all clothes, to become fully naked. The Israeli soldiers claim to be looking for weapons. Some women have refused to comply with the orders to remove all clothing.

Du'ebes has demanded that United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, and the international community find immediate and urgent security for Palestinian women, and force Israel to commit to international human rights agreements, to guarantee the security of unarmed Palestinian women and children.