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Fact check: Did Israel have riots defending an idf soldier that raped a Palestinian in custody

Checked on August 21, 2025

1. Summary of the results

Yes, Israel did have riots defending IDF soldiers accused of raping a Palestinian in custody. Multiple sources confirm that far-right protesters and mobs stormed military facilities in defense of accused soldiers.

Specifically, far-right protesters broke into the Sde Teiman detention facility after Israeli military police went to question reservists suspected of raping a detainee [1]. The incidents involved far-right mobs, including government ministers, who stormed the facility and another base to call for the release of the soldiers accused of rape [2].

The protests occurred after a video emerged of a gang rape of a Palestinian prisoner by Israeli guards at the Sde Teiman detention facility [2]. Right-wing Israelis stormed two military facilities in protest of the detention and questioning of IDF reservists suspected of raping and abusing a Palestinian prisoner [3].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks several crucial contextual elements:

  • The specific location: The incidents occurred at the Sde Teiman detention facility, a key detail for understanding the scope of the issue [1] [2]
  • Scale of support: The riots weren't just civilian protests - they included government ministers among the far-right mobs defending the accused soldiers [2]
  • Broader pattern of abuse: A UN investigation found Israeli security forces have increasingly used sexual and gender-based violence against Palestinians as a method of war [4], suggesting this wasn't an isolated incident
  • Political implications: The riots highlighted deep political divisions in the country regarding accountability for military actions [3]
  • Ideological justification: Some defenders argued that any action is permissible if undertaken for the security of the state [2], revealing the underlying rationale used to justify such actions

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question, while factually accurate in its core claim, presents the issue in a simplified manner that could be misleading:

  • Singular vs. multiple incidents: The question refers to "an IDF soldier" when sources indicate multiple soldiers were involved in gang rape [2]
  • Minimizes institutional involvement: By focusing only on "riots," the question understates that government ministers participated in defending the accused soldiers [2]
  • Lacks systemic context: The question treats this as an isolated incident rather than part of what UN investigators characterized as a systematic pattern of sexual violence used as a method of war [4]

The question's framing, while not technically false, could lead readers to underestimate both the severity of the original crimes and the level of institutional support for the accused perpetrators.

Want to dive deeper?
What is the Israeli military's protocol for investigating allegations of soldier misconduct?
Have there been any instances of IDF soldiers being prosecuted for human rights abuses against Palestinians?
How do Israeli authorities respond to riots and protests in defense of accused soldiers?
What international laws and agreements govern the treatment of detainees in Israeli custody?
What role do Palestinian authorities play in investigating and prosecuting allegations of Israeli soldier misconduct?