Palestinian Women Suffer as Israel Violates CEDAW

By Mel Frykberg

"RAMALLAH, Nov 5 (IPS) - Palestinian women continue to suffer abuse and denial of basic human rights at the hands of Israeli settlers and soldiers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

This is in flagrant violation of Israel’s obligations as a signatory to the UN Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). CEDAW is the first international human rights treaty devoted to the rights of women.....

In the report WCLAC says women and children bear specific consequences of the Israeli occupation.

"The Israeli occupation impacts on the lives of Palestinian women at every juncture. From sexual harassment and assault, discriminatory treatment of Palestinian female prisoners to being forced to give birth at Israeli checkpoints," Dima Nashashibi from WCLAC told IPS.......

Giving birth in the occupied territories can be a deadly game of Russian Roulette. "We are continuing to have cases of Palestinian women being forced to give birth at Israeli checkpoints," says Mutasem Awad from The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) in Ramallah.....

The more than 600 Israeli checkpoints and roadblocks, which cripple Palestinian movement in the West Bank, have also adversely affected the education of female students.

Female students in this conservative society, in greater numbers than males, prefer to stay at home to avoid being harassed and humiliated or exposed to attack at the checkpoints.

Palestinian women and children in East Jerusalem have also been subjected to home evictions and violence by Israeli security forces and settlers as well as threats of sexual assault......"