LONDON: Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she believes the Australian women who alleged they were sexually assaulted and attacked by Israeli soldiers last month.
The allegations were made by Australians who were detained by Israeli forces following the interception of a humanitarian flotilla traveling to Gaza.
In the Senate, Wong described the treatment of the Australian women as “unacceptable” and their allegations as “distressing.”
She added: “My principled position is to always believe women when allegations of sexual assault are made.”
Eleven Australians took part in the Global Sumud Flotilla, which departed from Mediterranean ports as part of a mission to deliver vital supplies to war-torn Gaza, which is blockaded by Israel.
The unarmed civilians on the vessels were intercepted by Israeli forces and subsequently detained and deported.
Many have alleged violent abuse at the hands of Israeli personnel, including beatings, rape and torture.
Wong said: “Those allegations are terrible. They are horrific. The treatment is unacceptable. And I express my empathy to those women to whom that was done.”
The Australian government had privately raised concerns with Israel over the treatment of its citizens, as well as Tel Aviv’s refusal to grant Australian diplomatic access to them.
Greens Sen. Mehreen Faruqi highlighted the allegations made by some of the detained Australians: “One of these flotilla participants, Juliet Lamont, has said she was sexually assaulted and beaten, cable tied and had so much water thrown in her face that at one point she thought she was going to drown.
“She says ‘they wrenched my trousers and underwear down and I was raped by one of the soldiers. My daughter was syringed with an unknown substance. Other people had guns inserted inside them.’
“Neve O’Connor, another one of these brave humanitarians, has said she was abused, physically beaten and sexually humiliated.
“She says ‘I had my hands pinned behind my back while being repeatedly kneed in the spine, kneed in the thighs.’
“And Violet CoCo has told us that she was held at gunpoint, stripped of her clothes and pushed into a shipping container where she was beaten, kicked and sexually assaulted before being thrown into a prison yard.”
Wong later said her office was in contact with some of the Australian women who had been part of the flotilla.
On Thursday, three flotilla members, including Lamont, hosted a press conference at Parliament House.
They requested a meeting with Wong and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to discuss their allegations.
Lamont said: “I’m really glad that Penny recently said that she believes us. I think the extension of that is she needs to meet with us, she needs to hear our testimony and she needs to sanction Israel.
“What other country would be allowed to rape and torture 11 ordinary citizens from this country and get away from it?”
In the Senate, Wong said Australia was experiencing “one of the most challenging times” in the history of its relationship with Israel.
She added: “Australia is strongly opposed to many of the actions of the Netanyahu government and we have been clear about that opposition.
“Mr. Netanyahu, and some of his colleagues, have had plenty to say about our government, and about Australia.”
