Did Israel Forcibly Sterilize Ethiopian Women Upon Arrival?
There was no forced sterilization of Ethiopian women. There was no sterilization, period. The smear itself originated from a news article in a 2012 Ha’aretz report, which falsely alleged that Israeli authorities forced Ethiopian women to receive shots of Depo-Provera, a contraceptive which lasts three months, in order to immigrate to Israel. An Israeli committee investigated the incident. The investigation ran from 2013 until the beginning of 2016, and exonerated Israel.
“No evidence could be found for the claims raised that shots to prevent pregnancy were administered to Ethiopian women under pressure or threat, overt or covert, or in any way that was improper.” —State Comptroller Joseph Shapira, Haaretz. January 2016.
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Did Israel Forcibly Sterilize Ethiopian Women Upon Arrival?
There was no forced sterilization of Ethiopian women. There was no sterilization, period. This canard accusing Israel of racism and sexism is false.
The smear originated from a 2012 episode of Vacuum, an Israeli television program hosted by Israeli journalist Gal Gabai. She reported that Ethiopian women who wanted to immigrate to Israel were required a contraceptive shot called Depo- Provera while living in Ethiopian transit camps.
An Israeli committee investigated the incident. The investigation ran from 2013 until early 2016 and exonerated Israel:
“No evidence could be found for the claims raised that shots to prevent pregnancy were administered to Ethiopian women under pressure or threat, overt or covert, or in any way that was improper.”
-State Comptroller Joseph Shapira, Ha’aretz. January 2016
Photo Credit: Government Press Office (Israel), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia
Commons. Sources: cameraoncamp.us/0affj cameraoncamp.us/u3800
