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OPEN LETTER TO THE ISRAELI AND U.S. GOVERNMENTS AND OTHERS
WEAPONIZING THE ISSUE OF RAPE  
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February 28, 2024
Stop Manipulating Sexual Assault
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_ All too often in the fog of war, the brutality of sexual assault
and rape is lost in the public eye, and bringing these abuses to light
is something for which feminists have fought for decades.
...accusations have also been wielded as a tool of war _

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ALL TOO OFTEN IN THE FOG OF WAR, THE BRUTALITY OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND
RAPE IS LOST IN THE PUBLIC EYE, AND BRINGING THESE ABUSES TO LIGHT IS
SOMETHING FOR WHICH FEMINISTS HAVE FOUGHT FOR DECADES. COMPLICATING
THIS ISSUE, HOWEVER, IS THE FACT THAT ACCUSATIONS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT
HAVE ALSO BEEN WIELDED AS A TOOL OF WAR – AND AS AN (OFTEN LETHAL)
WEAPON OF RACISM AND COLONIALISM.

In its current war against the people of Gaza, the Israeli government
has chosen to weaponize the issue of sexual violence for political
outcome. The statement below will be delivered to officials of the
Israeli government who have mounted a public crusade manipulating this
issue to both legitimize – and divert attention from – their
campaign of ethnic cleansing, to dehumanize Palestinians, and to
vilify those who criticize their actions. It will also be sent to U.S.
officials, prominent public figures and others who, with intention or
misguidedly, have joined the fray by demonizing a variety of feminist
organizations and individuals. In some cases, these attacks have
included orchestrated campaigns to withdraw funding for critical work.
They have also fueled harassment and doxing of staff or board members
that, reprehensibly, has included threats of rape and death.

The statement was initiated by U.S.-based anti-zionist Jewish
feminists who believe we have a particular responsibility to speak out
in support of Palestinian rights and against the current genocide. It
has since garnered support from across the U.S. and throughout the
world. Many of the signers have worked on or researched the issue of
sexual violence for decades. Many have directly supported survivors
and/or are survivors ourselves. Collectively, we are accustomed to
holding complicated realities in our minds, which we believe to be a
necessary practice in a complex and unjust world.

The signers of this statement stand together both in condemning all
instances of war crimes – including sexual violence – and in
defending those who are under attack for challenging Israel’s deadly
assault on Palestinians.

IN THE FACE OF THESE ATTEMPTS TO INTIMIDATE OR DISCREDIT US, WE REFUSE
TO BE SILENCED.

 

OPEN LETTER TO THE ISRAELI AND U.S. GOVERNMENTS AND OTHERS
WEAPONIZING THE ISSUE OF RAPE

We, the undersigned, are responding to the disgraceful coordinated
offensive currently being leveled against feminist, women’s
advocacy, Jewish anti-zionist, and other organizations, agencies and
individuals, accusing us of “failing to condemn” reported
systematic sexual assaults of Israeli women and children in the brutal
October 7 attack by Hamas. We repudiate the attempts by the Israeli
government, and its apologists, to delegitimize our work, defund
social justice and feminist organizations, and undermine our demands
that Israel cease its genocidal massacre of Palestinians.

Whether we identify as feminists, as Jews, as anti-zionists, as all of
the above, or as allies, and wherever we are based in the world, we
proclaim that we can hold many truths simultaneously in our heads and
in our hearts; that is what we do every minute of every day. We
excoriate rape and all forms of sexual assault against anyone of any
gender or age – whether perpetrated by Hamas, the Israeli Defense
Forces (IDF) or anyone else. We also excoriate carpet bombing of
civilians, deadly blockades of food, water and fuel, use of illegal
chemical weapons, targeted murders of journalists and aid workers,
decimation of homes, hospitals, schools, houses of worship,
infrastructure and entire family lines, annihilation of culture,
kidnapping and hostage-taking, and all war crimes when committed by
any party.

For those of us who are Jewish, we embrace our Jewish identity and its
history of facing down injustice and we also condemn the actions of
the state created in our name that was birthed in massacre and mass
expulsion, that has maintained a stifling, racist and dehumanizing
occupation for 75 years, and that is currently conducting mass murder
of civilians daily with impunity.
 

WE CONDEMN RAPE – JUST AS WE CONDEMN EVERY WAR CRIME.

Sexual assault is devastating. Whether perpetrated by state or
non-state actors; by strangers, acquaintances, friends or family
members; by teachers, coaches, supervisors, co-workers or religious
figures of any faith; by police, prison guards, soldiers or guerrilla
fighters – we are very familiar with its enduring legacies of trauma
and upheaval. And we condemn it equally in every instance.

We believe survivors and we believe reporting that results from
investigations conducted by trained feminist and human rights experts
who have no agenda other than to clearly and accurately document and
convey the gravity of gender-based violence. Sexual assault is
pervasive – even commonplace. It is rarely met with the outrage that
its incidence, impact and enormity merit. And, history is also replete
with examples of rape charges being wielded by stakeholders in armed
conflict to render the “enemy” more monstrous – and thus as
deserving of ever-more depraved forms of militarized violence. This
tactic is as old as war itself. And this means that there are many
reasons to distrust either the selective outrage – or protestations
of innocence – of either governments or militias, or their
respective propaganda organs, when it comes to sexual assault. There
is an urgent need for increased public consciousness about how such
outrage is mobilized during periods of conflict, and/or to legitimize
racist agendas. And there is equivalent need for public awareness
during moments when outrage is conspicuously absent – such as when
members of those very governments or militias are accused of sexual
abuses within their own ranks.

Israel’s current campaign to discredit feminists – especially
feminists of color, Arab feminists and Jewish anti-zionist feminists
– and others critical of its lethal offensive against Palestinians
is insulting and dishonest, but it is nothing new. We see it for what
it is: a cynical attempt to incite public fury and deflect attention
from the genocide it is perpetrating. And far too many public figures
and elected officials have allowed themselves to become participants
in this onslaught of accusations against us.

So, let us once again make ourselves clear: We condemn rape. We
condemn genocide. And we also condemn the opportunistic manipulation
of the issue of sexual assault by those committing war crimes
themselves – or by anyone else.

We support the investigation initiated by the highly-qualified members
of the U.N. Commission of Inquiry into the entire range of war crimes
committed during both the October 7 Hamas attack and the Israeli
state’s subsequent assault on Gaza – an effort in which Israel
thus far has refused to participate. We also support additional
inquiries into these sexual assault allegations conducted by impartial
feminist and human rights authorities with proven expertise in, and
sensitivity about, sexual violence, as well as provision of a
comprehensive range of services for all survivors by those explicitly
trained in addressing sexual trauma. Additionally, we urge
investigation into reported atrocities by both Israeli military
personnel and non-state actors – including vigilante settler groups
– throughout Israel and the Occupied Territories.

Finally, we continue to raise our voices as part of the world-wide
call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages
and political prisoners, termination of U.S. military aid to Israel
and an end to Israeli apartheid.

 

BELOW IS A LIST OF INITIAL SIGNERS OF THIS STATEMENT.

PLEASE CLICK HERE
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YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD YOUR NAME; THE LIST WILL BE UPDATED
PERIODICALLY.

WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO SHARE THIS EFFORT AND INVITE OTHERS TO SIGN ON.

 

Amanda Lugg (US)

Ana Zentella, Professor Emerita, University of California San Diego
(US)

Angela Y. Davis (US)

Anissa Helie, Feminist Historian (Algeria / US)

Ann Russo, DePaul University (US)*

Arlene Avakian, Professor Emeritus, University of Massachusetts
Amherst (US)

Aurora Levins Morales, Writer (Puerto Rico)

Prof. Ayşe Gül Altınay, Sabancı University (Turkey)*

Dr. Barbara Ransby, Historian/Writer (US)

Barbara Schulman, Independent Advocate (US)

Barbara Smith, Black Feminist Author and Activist (US)

Dr. Barbara Klugman, Strategy and Evaluation Freelancer (South Africa)

Beverly Sheftall (US)

Blanche Wiesen Cook, University Distinguished Professor Emerita, John
Jay College (US)

Carrie Shelver, Sexual Rights Initiative (South Africa)*

Catherine Hodes, LCSW/LICSW, Gender-Violence Advocate (US)

Prof. Chandra Talpade Mohanty, Distinguished Professor, Syracuse
University (US)*

Charlotte Bunch, Founder, Center for Women’s Global Leadership (US)

Chitra Ganesh (US)

Cindy Engler (US)

Cindy Weisner, Grassroots Global Justice Alliance (US)*

Cynthia Rothschild, Independent Advocate (US)

Prof. David Kazanjian, English and Comparative Literature, University
of Pennsylvania (US)*

Prof. Dianne Otto, Melbourne Law School (Australia)

Dubravka Zarkov, Associate Professor (retired), International
Institute of Social Studies Netherlands (Serbia)

Ellen Gurzinsky (US)

Prof. Elizabeth Bernstein, Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies,
Barnard College, Columbia University (US)*

Prof. Elora Chowdhury, Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies,
University of Massachusetts Boston (US)*

Esther Farmer, Jewish Voice for Peace-NYC (US)*

Gillian Kane (US)

Prof. Gina Dent (US)

Prof. Gloria Careaga, Faculty of Psychology, National Autonomous
University of Mexico (Mexico)*

Hema Sarang-Sieminski (US)

Prof. Hülya Adak (Turkey)

Ilana Landsberg-Lewis (Canada)

Indai Sajor, Independent Advocate (Philippines)

Jacqueline Woodson (US)

Prof. Jessie Daniels, PhD (US)

Joan Nestle (US / Australia)

Joanne Sandler (US)

Jodi Jacobson, Human Rights Advocate (US)

Joyce Yu (US)

Karen Zelermyer (US)

Kate Kroeger, Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism (US)*

Katherine Acey, Chair, Political Research Associates (US)*

Kathy Engel (US)

Kavita Nandini Ramdas, Principal, KNR Sisters; Activist in Residence
and former President and CEO, Global Fund for Women (US / India)*

Kay Whitlock, Co-Author, Queer (In)Justice: The Criminalization of
LGBT People in the US (US)

Prof. Ketu Katrak, University of California Irvine (US)*

Prof. Kiran Asher (US)

Laurie Woods, Independent Advocate for Women (US)

Lepa Mladjenovic, Feminist List Against Rape in War in the Region of
Ex-Yugoslavia (Serbia)

Leslie Cagan (US)

Prof. Lila Abu-Lughod, Columbia University (US)*

Lisa Cartwright (US)

Prof. Lisa Duggan, New York University (US)*

Student Rabbi Louisa Solomon (US)

Lydia Alpízar Durán, Independent Advocate (Mexico / Costa Rica)

Margaret Cerullo, Professor Emerita, Hampshire College (US)

Margaret Randall (US)

Marion Stevens, Founding Director of the Sexual and Reproductive
Justice Coalition and Stellenbosch University (South Africa)

Marjorie Fine (US)

Marla Erlien (US)

Rabbi May Ye, Jewish Voice for Peace Rabbinical Council (US)*

Prof. Miriam Ticktin (US)

Nathalie Arnold Koenings, Hampshire College (Belgium)

Prof. Nina Berman, Columbia Journalism School (US)*

Dr. Penny Rosenwasser, Kehilla Community Synagogue; Jewish Voice for
Peace (US)*

Prof. Rebecca Jordan-Young, Department of Women’s, Gender, and
Sexuality Studies, Barnard College (US)*

Rela Mazali, Writer, Independent Scholar, Activist (Israel)

Risa Shaw, PhD (US)

Prof. Rosalind Petchesky, Distinguished Professor Emerita, Hunter
College & the Graduate Center-City University of New York; Member
Leader, Jewish Voice for Peace-NYC (US)*

Roxanna Carrillo (Perú / US)

Sally Noland MacNichol, Anti-Violence Activist (US)

Samantha Kostmayer, Independent Advocate (US)

Sandy Martin, Feminist, Socialist, Activist (US)

Sara Lennox, Professor Emerita, University of Massachusetts Amherst
(US)

Sarah Schulman (US)

Sarah Sills, Member Leader, Jewish Voice for Peace-NYC (US)*

Prof. Shahla Talebi, Arizona State University (US)*

Prof. Sima Shakhsari, University of Minnesota (US)*

Stephanie Roth, Member, Jewish Voice for Peace (US)*

Subha Wijesiriwardena, Feminist Activist, Researcher, Communicator
(Sri Lanka / US)

Susan Lob, Founder, Voices of Women Organizing Project (US)*

Susana Fried (US)

Prof. Svati Shah (US)

Prof. Tami Kashia Gold (US)

Terry Greenblatt (US)

Yasmin Nair, Writer and activist (US)

Zillah Eisenstein, Professor Emerita, Writer, Activist (US)

*Affiliation included for identification purposes only

 

The following is a list of additional signers
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continue to be updated periodically.

Names are listed in the order in which they were received.

PLEASE CLICK HERE
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YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD YOUR NAME.

* Rape
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* sexual assualt
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* war
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* feminists
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* Women
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* Accusations of sexual assault
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* Israel-Gaza War
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* Hamas
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* Hostages
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* Oct. 7
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* Israel
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* Gaza
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* Palestine
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* Benjamin Netanyahu
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* Israeli government
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* The New York Times
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