{"id":117823,"date":"2024-12-18T17:00:39","date_gmt":"2024-12-18T15:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/?p=117823"},"modified":"2024-12-18T10:59:55","modified_gmt":"2024-12-18T08:59:55","slug":"19-00-95","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/?p=117823","title":{"rendered":"#MeToo\u2019s Silence on Hamas\u2019 Sexual Violence Exposed: \u2018#MeToo, Unless You\u2019re a Jew\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>#MeToo\u2019s Silence on Hamas\u2019 Sexual Violence Exposed: \u2018#MeToo, Unless You\u2019re a Jew\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h5>\n

Gregory Lyakhov<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Partygoers at the Supernova Psy-Trance Festival who filmed the events that unfolded on Oct. 7, 2023. Photo: Yes Studios<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0#MeToo<\/a>\u00a0movement, once a beacon of hope for survivors of sexual violence, now faces accusations of selective advocacy. Its muted response to the mass atrocities committed during Hamas\u2019 Oct. 7th, 2023,\u00a0attacks<\/a>\u00a0on Israel has brought global criticism. While the movement has supported victims in other instances, its\u00a0lack<\/a>\u00a0of acknowledgment of Israeli victims underscores troubling ideological biases and risks undermining its credibility.<\/span><\/p>\n

On Oct. 7, Hamas launched a brutal assault on Israel, leaving\u00a01,200<\/a>\u00a0people dead. Survivors and investigators\u00a0documented<\/a>\u00a0horrifying accounts of sexual violence targeting women. Videos , including many circulated by Hamas terrorists, confirmed acts of rape, mutilation, and abduction. By their scale and intent, such crimes violated individual rights and attacked human dignity.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite its\u00a0mission<\/a>\u00a0to confront gender-based violence, the #MeToo movement\u2019s leadership remained silent for weeks after the attack. When a statement was finally released, it referred broadly to \u201ccivilian atrocities,\u201d<\/a>\u00a0avoiding explicit references to the sexual violence or acknowledgment of the crimes\u2019 anti-Jewish motivation. The vague language was an apparent attempt to avoid fully condemning the attacks, and to dilute the specificity of the suffering endured by Israeli women.<\/span><\/p>\n

While the #MeToo movement was swift and decisive in condemning cases like Hollywood\u2019s Harvey Weinstein\u00a0scandal<\/a>\u00a0or Brett Kavanaugh\u2019s Supreme Court confirmation\u00a0hearings<\/a>, a\u00a0study<\/a>\u00a0of its public statements exposes a pattern of prioritizing narratives that only align with left-leaning ideologies, particularly those critical of Israeli policies.<\/span><\/p>\n

An explanation for #MeToo\u2019s silence may lie in the broader feminist and human rights communities\u2019\u00a0frequent<\/a>\u00a0alignment with Palestinian causes. While critiques of Israeli governmental policies can be legitimate if they\u2019re aimed at specific Israeli policies but recognize Israel\u2019s right to exist (and don\u2019t spread lies about things like \u201cgenocide\u201d), equating such issues with the need to address violence against Israeli women is a\u00a0dangerous<\/a>\u00a0misstep. This approach effectively\u00a0sidelines<\/a>\u00a0survivors based on their nationality or religion, violating the principle of impartial advocacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr.\u00a0Einat Wilf<\/a>, an Israeli academic and former Knesset member,\u00a0explained<\/a>\u00a0this phenomenon as the \u201cintersectional paradox,\u201d where advocacy for human rights is applied selectively. \u201cThe refusal to unequivocally condemn Hamas\u2019 actions,\u201d she noted, \u201csuggests that for some activists, the identity of the victim or perpetrator matters more than the act itself.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The fallout of this selective advocacy is deeply personal for Jewish survivors of sexual violence. Many who once viewed #MeToo as a haven for survivors now feel alienated.<\/span><\/p>\n

Esther Cohen<\/a>, an Israeli feminist activist,\u00a0shared<\/a>\u00a0her disapproval: \u201cWhen Israeli women needed solidarity the most, the movement that stood for \u2018believing all survivors\u2019 turned away.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

On university campuses, Jewish students have reported similar feelings of betrayal. Organizations that once encouraged their voices are now hesitant to engage when their narratives challenge popular political stances. This exclusion not only erodes trust in #MeToo, but also weakens the broader feminist movement by dividing it along ideological lines.<\/span><\/p>\n

The politicization of #MeToo\u2019s advocacy undermines its stated mission to dismantle structures enabling sexual violence. By\u00a0failing<\/a>\u00a0to stand unequivocally with Israeli survivors, the movement effectively normalizes selective outrage. Such an approach could discourage other marginalized communities from seeking #MeToo\u2019s support, fearing their story might be ignored if it doesn\u2019t align with the \u201ccorrect\u201d narrative.<\/span><\/p>\n

Moreover, selective advocacy means the#MeToo movement is labeled as hypocritical.<\/span><\/p>\n

#MeToo has repeatedly called for perpetrators to be named and held accountable, yet it purposely avoided naming Hamas. This reluctance resembles patterns of denial and doubt that the movement initially sought to dismantle.<\/span><\/p>\n

#MeToo must reaffirm its commitment to universal justice to restore its credibility. Advocacy groups like\u00a0Jewish Women International<\/a>\u00a0have previously called on the movement to condemn all acts of sexual violence, regardless of the victim\u2019s identity or the perpetrators\u2019 political affiliations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Legal scholar\u00a0Irwin Cotler<\/a>\u00a0has also emphasized the importance of depoliticizing human rights work. \u201cSexual violence is not a political tool \u2014 it is a universal crime that demands a universal response,\u201d Cotler said in a recent interview.<\/span><\/p>\n

The #MeToo movement faces a defining moment. Its response to the Oct. 7 attacks has revealed deep issues in its approach to advocacy. While it has achieved remarkable success in amplifying survivors\u2019 voices, its reluctance to condemn violence against Israeli women demonstrates the act of selective solidarity.<\/span><\/p>\n

If #MeToo aspires to remain a credible force for justice, it must end its ideological biases and return to its founding principles of inclusivity and impartiality. Only by doing so can we build a world where all survivors feel seen, heard, and valued \u2014 without exception.<\/span><\/p>\n

But for now, it\u2019s #MeToo unless you are a Jew.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Gregory Lyakhov<\/strong> has written for<\/em>\u00a0The Times of Israel,\u00a0and is a passionate advocate for Israel. He runs a political blog focusing on elections, law, and Israel.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Zawarto\u015b\u0107 publikowanych artyku\u0142\u00f3w i materia\u0142\u00f3w nie reprezentuje pogl\u0105d\u00f3w ani opinii Reunion’68,<\/em>
\nani te\u017c webmastera Blogu Reunion’68, chyba ze jest to wyra\u017anie zaznaczone.
\nTwoje uwagi, linki, w\u0142asne artyku\u0142y lub wiadomo\u015bci prze\u015blij na adres:
\n<\/em>webmaster@reunion68.com<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

#MeToo\u2019s Silence on Hamas\u2019 Sexual Violence Exposed: \u2018#MeToo, Unless You\u2019re a Jew\u2019 Gregory Lyakhov Partygoers at the Supernova Psy-Trance Festival who filmed the events that unfolded on Oct. 7, 2023. Photo: Yes Studios The\u00a0#MeToo\u00a0movement, once a beacon of hope for survivors of sexual violence, now faces accusations of selective advocacy. Its muted response to the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[26,24],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117823"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=117823"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117823\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":117837,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117823\/revisions\/117837"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=117823"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=117823"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=117823"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}