"Israeli" settlements minister accused of sexual abuse by daughter

Orit Strook, "Israel’s" Minister of Settlements and National Missions, is facing serious accusations from her daughter, Shoshana Strook, who has come forward alleging long-term sexual and physical abuse by both parents and one of her brothers.

Shoshana, in a public statement posted on social media, revealed she had filed a formal complaint in Italy and was seeking accountability.

“After a long period of doubt, extreme emotional states, and a lot of guilt, I wanted to share that I experienced sexual abuse by both of my parents and one of my brothers,” she wrote. She further alleged that her three younger brothers were victims of physical abuse. “After years of beatings and guilt, I finally spoke out. The memories are overwhelming, but I need justice.”

The accusations come as a major blow to Orit Strook, a far-right politician known for her extremist views and vocal support of illegal "Israeli" settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. Strook has gained notoriety in recent months for pushing unfounded claims that Hamas carried out sexual assaults during the October 7 events—claims that human rights organizations have disputed or found to lack substantiation.

This is not the first time the Strook family has faced scrutiny. In 2007, Strook’s son, Zviki Strook, was convicted of assaulting a Palestinian teenager in a brutal attack that reportedly included torture and animal cruelty. He was sentenced to 30 months in prison. Despite the conviction, Orit Strook defended her son, stating, “Unlike the court, which preferred to believe the Arab witnesses, we are sure of Zvi’s innocence and are hurting from the success of his haters.”

Shoshana did not specify which brother was involved in the sexual abuse allegations, leaving it unclear if Zviki was the one implicated.

A longtime figure in the settler movement, Orit Strook moved from the evacuated Sinai settlement of Yamit to Hebron, where she emerged as a prominent voice for the far-right. She helped found an NGO backing illegal settlements and has remained entrenched in the Avraham Avinu settlement.

Her rhetoric has grown increasingly extreme. In a May 2024 Knesset session, she declared, “There is no such thing as a Palestinian people… There will never be a Palestinian state in the land of Israel. Every cultured person in the world knows that this land is ours, for the Israeli people and only for us.”

She has also opposed US-led ceasefire proposals in Gaza and called for "Israel" to permanently occupy the territory. Strook is currently a member of the Knesset through the far-right Religious Zionism alliance and represents the Jewish Power party.