Reem Alsalem, the United Nation’s Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, confirmed during an interview on Tuesday that she was unaware of the frequent rocket attacks made by Hamas and Hezbollah against Israel.
Speaking with Ynet’s Bar Shem-Ur, Alsalem commented on reports that Israel is committing “war crimes, crimes against humanity, and an unfolding genocide.”
Reem Alsalem, the @UNSRVAW (UN's Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls) is more than happy to vilify Israel but is silent about the constant barrage of rocket fire targeting millions of Israelis. Her response? She hasn’t seen any reports of rockets being… pic.twitter.com/5Ijqh5b4Po
— Israel ישראל (@Israel) March 5, 2024
Hearing that Alsalem did not mention the way that the war, which started with Hamas’s invasion on October 7, had impacted Israelis, Shem-Ur commented “but in Israeli cities and Israeli schools are also being bombarded every single day.”
In response to the comment, Alsalem confirmed in a questioning tone “Every single day?”
Continuing, Alsalem said “Well I would recommend, if that is the case, I would recommend that you also send that information to the special procedures so that we can look into it.
“Don’t you see the reports?” Shem-Ur asked. “Don’t you see the missiles coming from the north by Hezbollah and from the south by Hamas?”
“At this point, I have not seen that, no,” Alsalem confirmed.
On the same day as the interview, over 30 rockets were fired from Lebanon toward Kiryat Shmona on Tuesday evening, with 17 rockets falling in open areas and 13 intercepted by air defenses, according to the municipality.
On Monday, one person was killed, and 7 others wounded after a Hezbollah anti-tank missile hit the area in which they were farming in Margaliot. The wounded parties had all been Thai workers.
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the rocket barrage, saying it was conducted in response to Israeli strikes on Hula earlier in the day.
Alsalem’s official involvement in the Israel-Hamas war
Alsalem co-authored a February report with Francesca Albanese accusing the IDF of sexually abusing Palestinian women and girls.
Asked where she got her information for this report in an interview with Channel 13's "Hazinor," she said the “reasonably credible information” had come from sources she could not cite and Euro-Med.
Euro-Med is reportedly run by anti-Israel conspiracist Richard Falk, who claimed that Israel was responsible for the Boston Marathon bombing.
“I’m a human rights expert, not a terrorism expert.” Meet the @UNSRVAW whose mandate is to combat violence against women and girls, but can’t bring herself to address or condemn the rape of Israeli women and girls. Shameful. @Bar_ShemUrpic.twitter.com/WCcalblCXr
— Tamar Schwarzbard (@TSchwarzbard) March 5, 2024
Alsalem also claimed that she had not seen sufficient evidence to accept that rapes occurred on October 7.
She insisted that it “may have happened” despite the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, releasing two days prior that there was substantial evidence to conclude that victims, as well as hostages and survivors of October 7, were sexually abused and raped by Hamas terrorists.
Tamar Uriel-Beeri contributed to this report.