Palestinian children tortured, used as shields by Israel: U.N.

[Thalian]

A United Nations human rights body accused Israeli forces on Thursday of mistreating Palestinian children, including by torturing those in custody and using others as human shields.

Palestinian children in the Gaza and the West Bank, captured by Israel in the 1967 war, are routinely denied registration of their birth and access to health care, decent schools and clean water, the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child said.

"Palestinian children arrested by (Israeli) military and police are systematically subject to degrading treatment, and often to acts of torture, are interrogated in Hebrew, a language they did not understand, and sign confessions in Hebrew in order to be released," it said in a report.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said it had responded to a report by the U.N. children's agency UNICEF in March on ill-treatment of Palestinian minors and questioned whether the U.N. committee's investigation covered new ground.

"If someone simply wants to magnify their political bias and political bashing of Israel not based on a new report, on work on the ground, but simply recycling old stuff, there is no importance in that," spokesman Yigal Palmor said.

The report by the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child acknowledged Israel's national security concerns and noted that children on both sides of the conflict continue to be killed and wounded, but that more casualties are Palestinian.

Most Palestinian children arrested are accused of having thrown stones, an offence which can carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, the committee said. Israeli soldiers had testified to the often arbitrary nature of the arrests, it said.

The watchdog's 18 independent experts examined Israel's record of compliance with a 1990 treaty as part of its regular review of a pact signed by all nations except Somalia and the United States. An Israeli delegation attended the session.

The U.N. committee regretted Israel's "persistent refusal" to respond to requests for information on children in the Palestinian territories and occupied Syrian Golan Heights since the last review in 2002.

"DISPROPORTIONATE"

"Hundreds of Palestinian children have been killed and thousands injured over the reporting period as a result of the state party military operations, especially in Gaza where the state party proceeded to (conduct) air and naval strikes on densely populated areas with a significant presence of children, thus disregarding the principles of proportionality and distinction," the report said.

Israel battled a Palestinian uprising during part of the 10-year period examined by the committee.

It withdrew its troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip in 2006, but still blockades the Hamas-run enclave, from where Palestinian militants have sometimes fired rockets into Israel.

During the 10-year period, an estimated 7,000 Palestinian children aged 12 to 17, but some as young as nine, had been arrested, interrogated and detained, the U.N. report said.

Many are brought in leg chains and shackles before military courts, while youths are held in solitary confinement, sometimes for months, the report said.

It voiced deep concern at the "continuous use of Palestinian children as human shields and informants", saying 14 such cases had been reported between January 2010 and March 2013 alone.

Israeli soldiers had used Palestinian children to enter potentially dangerous buildings before them and to stand in front of military vehicles to deter stone-throwing, it said.

"Almost all those using children as human shields and informants have remained unpunished and the soldiers convicted for having forced at gunpoint a nine-year-old child to search bags suspected of containing explosives only received a suspended sentence of three months and were demoted," it said.

Israel's "illegal long-standing occupation" of Palestinian territory and the Syrian Golan Heights, continued expansion of "unlawful" Jewish settlements, construction of the Wall into the West Bank, land confiscation and destruction of homes and livelihoods "constitute severe and continuous violations of the rights of Palestinian children and their families", it said.

Israel disputes the international position that its settlements in the West Bank are illegal. It says the wall it built there during the uprising stopped Palestinian suicide bombers from reaching its cities.

In March, Palmor, the Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman, had said that officials from the ministry and the military had cooperated with UNICEF in its work on the report, with the goal of improving the treatment of Palestinian minors in custody.

"Israel will study the conclusions and will work to implement them through ongoing cooperation with UNICEF, whose work we value and respect," he said, in response to the UNICEF report.

(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva and Allyn Fisher-Ilan in Jerusalem; Editing by Alistair Lyon)

(SOURCES: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...95J0FR20130620)



So, what does everyone think about "America's closest ally"?

[Noomz]

Hamas does this routinely, they even openly admit it. Hamas also targets civilian populations, with no other point that murder and genocide.

Just thought I'd remind everyone of that, because I see all the hate against Israel and never anyone making threads about what Hamas and the palestinians do.

[Skroe]

More B.S. in the world's least interesting, least relevant, ongoing soap opera.

[Sunseeker]

Hamas does this routinely, they even openly admit it. Hamas also targets civilian populations, with no other point that murder and genocide.

Just thought I'd remind everyone of that, because I see all the hate against Israel and never anyone making threads about what Hamas and the palestinians do.

So Hamas does it, therefore it's OK for Israel to do it too?

[HeroZero]

So Hamas does it, therefore it's OK for Israel to do it too?

No, Hamas does far worse.

[Thalian]

Hamas does this routinely, they even openly admit it. Hamas also targets civilian populations, with no other point that murder and genocide.

Just thought I'd remind everyone of that, because I see all the hate against Israel and never anyone making threads about what Hamas and the palestinians do.

"___ did it, so it's okay for me to." is an awful argument. Germany killed 12 million people, so who cares if Israel decides to do it? Mao genocided 60 million people, so who cares about the 120 thousand dead due to Al-Assad.

---------- Post added 2013-06-23 at 03:59 PM ----------

More B.S. in the world's least interesting, least relevant, ongoing soap opera.

Saying "B.S." doesn't make what you say factual.

[Tierbook]

"___ did it, so it's okay for me to." is an awful argument. Germany killed 12 million people, so who cares if Israel decides to do it? Mao genocided 60 million people, so who cares about the 1 million dead due to Al-Assad.

1million? what numbers are you looking at, the total number of dead i have seen is about 100k. That being said can we use this as an excuse to abandon Israel its a drain on resources at this point they can fight for themselves

[Deleted]

Both sides do such things, at least Hamas admits it.

[Thalian]

1million? what numbers are you looking at, the total number of dead i have seen is about 100k. That being said can we use this as an excuse to abandon Israel its a drain on resources at this point they can fight for themselves

I still don't know why we give them millions everyday when we have people starving in our own nation.

---------- Post added 2013-06-23 at 04:08 PM ----------

No, Hamas does far worse.

Hamas does far worse? Worse then using children as meat shields or to go check out dangerous buildings? Please. Tell me what Hamas does worse.

[HeroZero]

There is still the question of, if it is reported, is it still 100% true?

Obviously the military men using the children to search through bags is definitively true. But other parts I always wonder.

But on the matter of children arrested, a child can kill an adult just as easily with a gun as an adult can. Pretty this whole situation is a Hatfield and McCoy to the Nth degree. I kill them they kill me we bomb you you bomb me and it will keep going till one side is dead and gone. I would personally rather have the Israeli's after the dust settles.

[Deleted]

I always found this whole Israel business .. odd. They basically just stole land and founded their country there. Why not move somewhere else or buy/rent land instead. There are so many poor countries with about the same climate that might jump at the chance. Surely renting it would be much less expensive than keeping military and fighting all the time.. and less lives would be lost too.

[Thalian]

There is still the question of, if it is reported, is it still 100% true?

Obviously the military men using the children to search through bags is definitively true. But other parts I always wonder.

But on the matter of children arrested, a child can kill an adult just as easily with a gun as an adult can. Pretty this whole situation is a Hatfield and McCoy to the Nth degree. I kill them they kill me we bomb you you bomb me and it will keep going till one side is dead and gone. I would personally rather have the Israeli's after the dust settles.

A child can kill someone as easily as an adult? Well, maybe you have the mind of a child, but most adults have fully developed brains compared to the younger 9-16 year old Palestinians who get tortured, used as meat shields and detained for up to 20 years for throwing rocks with developing brains.

Israeli aggression is just making more and more Palestinians angry. Using their children/brothers/sisters/neighbors as meat shields and torture victims isn't going to end the conflict.

[HeroZero]

I always found this whole Israel business .. odd. They basically just stole land and founded their country there. Why not move somewhere else or buy/rent land instead. There are so many poor countries with about the same climate that might jump at the chance. Surely renting it would be much less expensive than keeping military and fighting all the time.. and less lives would be lost too.

You must not have much knowledge of history. They took over Gaza after they were attacked by a coalition of countries around them, which is usually what happens in war. They didn't even start said war.

If you are talking about the creation of the nation of Israel well then again you must not be familiar with history and the follow up after the end of WWII.

---------- Post added 2013-06-23 at 05:19 PM ----------

A child can kill someone as easily as an adult? Well, maybe you have the mind of a child, but most adults have fully developed brains compared to the younger 9-16 year old Palestinians who get tortured, used as meat shields and detained for up to 20 years for throwing rocks with developing brains.

Israeli aggression is just making more and more Palestinians angry. Using their children/brothers/sisters/neighbors as meat shields and torture victims isn't going to end the conflict.

I guess they could always just kill them all and not teach them a lesson. I mean that would solve the problem in a couple generations. Of course on the flip side the parents of these children could...you know... raise their children to not attack the israeli's. Probably the best solution would be to disperse the children into fosterages around the world and get them away from the hateful mindset of their native religion.

[GreatOak]

So, what does everyone think about "America's closest ally"?

Israel isn't our closest ally. Britain or Canada is our closest ally. If we take the 52nd and 53rd states out of the equation (jk), Israel would come close behind Japan, Kangarooland, and France. For me personally, it's not even in the top 10.

OT: This isn't exactly news anymore. Israel's government is sinister and morally questionable at best. I feel sorry for our Israeli brothers and sisters who have to put up with this trash. I feel even more sorry for the Palestinian people.

[Thalian]

I always found this whole Israel business .. odd. They basically just stole land and founded their country there. Why not move somewhere else or buy/rent land instead. There are so many poor countries with about the same climate that might jump at the chance. Surely renting it would be much less expensive than keeping military and fighting all the time.. and less lives would be lost too.

After World War 2, the British Empire, who subjugated Canaan after the fall of the Ottoman Empire in 1920, decided to give the land to the Jews. The United Nations agreed that the Israelis and the Palestinians would split the land. So, when the Israelis were placed there, they forced Arabs out of their land, took their homes and colonized their cities. The Jews believe that they are the chosen race and should own the "holy city" of Jerusalem, which the Arabs also claim as their own. The Jews would not be happy living anywhere else.


Two things I found funny (not funny "ha-ha", but funny odd.) is that Jews migrated away from Europe to avoid persecution after the Third Reich fell so that they'd be safe... so they choose the Middle East.

I also find odd is something I realized today. Think about this. Children who were abused will often grow up to do the same to others. It appears to be the same with countries (sometimes, not all the time --- just like people). The Jews treat Arabs and blacks in very similar ways in Israel as they were treated in Germany. The North Koreans and the Chinese do many things to others (often their own people) that the Empire of Japan who subjugated them in the 30s-40s did to them.

[GreatOak]

Hamas does this routinely, they even openly admit it. Hamas also targets civilian populations, with no other point that murder and genocide.

Just thought I'd remind everyone of that, because I see all the hate against Israel and never anyone making threads about what Hamas and the palestinians do.

Both sides do fucked up shit, but Israel should be held to a higher standard.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Somehow I wonder why we bother over there.

[lockedout]

More B.S. in the world's least interesting, least relevant, ongoing soap opera.

Why do we give Israel billions of dollars?
We could use that here.

---------- Post added 2013-06-23 at 11:28 PM ----------

Both sides do fucked up shit, but Israel should be held to a higher standard.

Their hot dogs are.

[HeroZero]

so they choose the Middle East.

You know their ancient homeland, sounds like what any group would want to do would be to regain the land taken from them.

I also find odd is something I realized today. Think about this. Children who were abused will often grow up to do the same to others. It appears to be the same with countries (sometimes, not all the time --- just like people). The Jews treat Arabs and blacks in very similar ways in Israel as they were treated in Germany. The North Koreans and the Chinese do many things to others (often their own people) that the Empire of Japan who subjugated them in the 30s-40s did to them.

That is a VERY salient point, but saying their treatment of 'blacks' isn't quite as racist as you make it sound, it is more descrimination against certain african nationalities which happen to have people that are of a dark skin. The reason for this descrimination? usually because of their religion and wanting to destroy all the Jews, minor details.

But back to the nation growing up how it was treated, I think in many ways that very easily happens. If any group feels constantly persecuted they will get used to defending themselves at any cost because they always feel on the defensive. I feel this is present from individual all the way up through the spectrum to nations.

[Sunseeker]

No, Hamas does far worse.

So? Hamas is "more evil" therefore it's okay if Israel is "sorta evil"?