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MCCOLLUM INTRODUCES PROMOTING HUMAN RIGHTS FOR PALESTINIAN CHILDREN LIVING UNDER ISRAELI MILITARY OCCUPATION ACT

May 1, 2019

Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) has introduced legislation— the Promoting Human Rights for Palestinian Children Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act, H.R. 2407 — amending a provision of the Foreign Assistance Act known as the "Leahy Law" to prohibit funding for the military detention of children in any country, including Israel.

The bill also establishes the "Human Rights Monitoring and Palestinian Child Victims of Israeli Military Detention Fund," authorizing $19 million annually for non-governmental organization (NGO) monitoring of human rights abuses associated with Israel's military detention of children. The Fund also authorizes qualified NGOs to provide physical, psychological, and emotional treatment and support for Palestinian child victims of Israeli military detention, abuse, and torture.

The full text of the bill can be found here. Additional resources can be found here.

"Israel's system of military juvenile detention is state-sponsored child abuse designed to intimidate and terrorize Palestinian children and their families," Congresswoman McCollum said. "It must be condemned, but it is equally outrageous that U.S. tax dollars in the form of military aid to Israel are permitted to sustain what is clearly a gross human rights violation against children."

More than 10,000 Palestinian children have been arrested, detained, abused, and prosecuted by Israeli security forces in the Israeli military court system since 2000. Independent monitors such as Human Rights Watch and Israel's B'Tselem have repeatedly documented that children are subject to abuse and, in some cases, torture — specifically citing the use of chokeholds, beatings, and coercive interrogation. Just weeks ago, CNN broadcast video showing armed Israeli soldiers entering a primary school in Hebron to arrest a 9-year-old who was then "frog-marched away and taken to an army vehicle."

"Peace can only be achieved by respecting human rights, especially the rights of children. Congress must not turn a blind eye to the unjust and ongoing mistreatment of Palestinian children living under Israeli occupation.

"I strongly believe there is a growing consensus among the American people that the Palestinian people deserve justice, equality, human rights, and the right to self-determination. It is time to stand with Palestinians, Americans, Israelis, and people around the world to reject the destructive, dehumanizing, and anti-peace policies of Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump."

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