Physical violence, humiliation and water deprivation: the experience of Palestinian youth detained by Israel

Posted on Posted in Human Rights, Uncategorized

In 2013, Palestinian and Israeli children continue to endure severe conditions created by the conflict. The number of Palestinian children killed or wounded at demonstrations or as a result of acts of violence is of extreme concern. The UN Secretary General’s 2012 report to the Security Council, which shocked a large segment of the public, discusses the detention of Palestinian children by Israeli forces.

Recall

Enfants palestiniensIn December 2012, 195 children aged 12 to 17 were held in Israeli detention centers for alleged security violations or to serve a prison sentence.

According to the Israeli prison administration, in 2012, 73 of the detained minors were transferred to prisons on Israeli territory, which constitutes a violation of Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. These facts have already been pointed out by UNICEF, which published a report on Palestinian children in Israeli detention centers in February 2013.

While being detained, Palestinian youth are not only often subject to humiliation, water and food deprivation, but also to physical, sexual and verbal attacks.

These children hardly stand a chance at their trials. Given that their admission of guilt is considered as evidence, many prefer to plead guilty to shorten their sentences, according to the 2012 report of the NGO Defence for Children International.

It should be noted that they are generally interrogated in Hebrew – a language they do not speak fluently – and that their statements are written down in Hebrew as well. Their crimes often consist of throwing stones; the punishment for this may result in being held in prison for up to 20 years.

UNICEF defines these acts as “widespread, systematic and institutionalized.”

While prisons for minors are rare in other countries, they are pervasive in Israel and violate international law. Military authorities deny these accusations and speak of only “a few small problems.” A lot remains to be done before these arbitrary detentions are brought to an end.

To learn more about Israeli policy towards Palestinian children, click here.