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This opinion piece originally appeared on Joop-BNNVARA
It is almost unbearable to read: Palestinian women being raped in front of their families, forcibly stripped publicly and sexually humiliated by heavily armed soldiers. These are all facts compiled in the UN report More than a human can bear, published on 13 March 2025 by an independent commission of enquiry of the UN Human Rights Council. The report states that since 7 October 2023, Israel has systematically used sexual, reproductive and gender-based violence against Palestinian women, men and children.
These are not incidents or isolated tragedies, but deliberate strategies as part of a wider system of oppression. Instead of condemning Israel and acting against these heinous acts, there is deafening silence in the Netherlands and the European Union. According to Prime Minister Schoof, there is not even a "red line" in Gaza that can be crossed by Israel. He stated this in a conversation with several aid organisations in early April. A shameful statement, which not only undermines the credibility of the Netherlands as a champion of human rights, but also threatens the legitimacy of the international legal system as a whole. Meanwhile, the violence is not stopping - on the contrary, last week the Israeli security cabinet even agreed to further escalation in Gaza.
How much more evidence is needed?
Not so long ago, sexual and gender-based violence in war was dismissed as a 'women's problem', a tragic but inevitable by-product of armed conflict. Today, we know better. Since the 1990s - after the atrocities in Rwanda and former Yugoslavia - international law has recognised sexual violence as a weapon of war, as a crime against humanity and, under certain circumstances, as part of genocide. Israel is bound by this and the Netherlands knows this.
The UN report has nevertheless shown, based on witness statements and verified footage in 49 pages, that this sexual violence took place during evacuations, arrests, in homes, hospitals, shelters and prisons. Even an IVF clinic with thousands of Palestinian embryos was deliberately destroyed by bombardment, which is considered a genocidal act.
The violence, the report said, involves physical abuse and intimidation, in a context where victims are defenceless against heavily armed Israeli forces. Palestinian men and boys are also deliberately humiliated and sexually assaulted. They have to undress publicly, sometimes blindfolded, tied or kneeling, while their families watch.
Hypocritical or complicit?
In any other large-scale conflict where sexual violence is used as a weapon of war and means of repression, the Netherlands - and the rest of the international community - condemns these acts.
Last year, the UN released a report on sexual violence committed by Hamas on 7 October 2023. This investigation revealed that they too used this as a method of warfare. At the time, the Netherlands rightly spoke out about this within a week through a sharp condemnation. In the war in Ukraine, millions of euros go to support survivors of sexual and gender-based violence committed by the Russian army. In other conflicts, such as in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where sexual violence is used on a large scale, the Netherlands does make itself heard.
But in the case of Gaza, where Israel is the perpetrator, the Netherlands is mute. More than a human can bear was released two months ago now and still there is no response. At best, it is hypocritical, and double standards. At worst, we are complicit.
Because, when does complicity exist? In legal terms, if a state continues to provide financial, military or diplomatic support to another state that demonstrably systematically uses sexual violence as a weapon of war, that may qualify as complicity under international law. Morally, it is even clearer. As long as the Netherlands and the EU remain silent and continue their 'business as usual' relations with Israel, when the evidence of systematic sexual violence is unequivocally on the table, they are actively contributing to perpetuating these crimes and undermining the rule of law they claim to defend. Indifference thus turns into complicity. How much more evidence is needed before real action is taken?
