International Solidarity Movement | August 15, 2013
A video has been put online on a website claiming to be a human right organization with a woman impersonating an ISM volunteer. In the video a woman who claims to have volunteered with the ISM in Palestine says that she was sexually harassed by a prominent Palestinian activist. The ISM want to make clear that this video is a hoax: the woman is not an ISM volunteer and the Facebook and Twitter pages are not of any human rights organization.
We believe this video is designed to harm the Palestinian popular struggle and the international solidarity movement in Palestine.
It is not the first time a video in which someone claims to be an International activist has been produced in order to attack the popular struggle and the solidarity movement. For example, before the freedom flotilla left for Gaza, a hoax video was released in which an Israeli actor posed as a solidarity activist and was eventually exposed.
When cases of sexual harassment or assault occur, as they do everywhere in the world, ISM and our Palestinian partners take reports very seriously and take action to protect people from sexual harassment and violence.
In solidarity,
International Solidarity Movement