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Arrest

Many children are arrested in the middle of the night from their homes. In some cases, children are also arrested close to settlements or roads used by the Israeli army and settlers, during clashes with the military, near the Wall, or at military checkpoints. The arrests are conducted by heavily armed soldiers during raids on villages and are usually described as terrifying. These night-time raids often occur within days of a stone-throwing incident directed at soldiers, military vehicles or vehicles used by settlers being reported.

Once a military convoy has entered a Palestinian village, pre-selected houses are surrounded and the occupants ordered to exit with their identity papers. The commanding officer will identify individuals for arrest from a pre-prepared list in his possession. Frequently no explanation or documentation is provided to the arrested person as to why they are being arrested or where they are being taken. Arrest warrants are almost never used. In the case of children, parents are mostly told that their child is “wanted” and will be returned “soon”. The arrest process is often accompanied by physical and verbal abuse, as well as damage to property during house searches.

Once identified for arrest, adults and children are usually blindfolded with their hands tied behind their backs using a single plastic tie. This form of restraint causes unnecessary pain and suffering over extended periods of time because it restricts the blood flow to the hands. The other members of the family will then be ordered back inside the house at gunpoint and the arrested child will be led away to a waiting military vehicle for transfer to an interrogation centre. The use of military incursions into Palestinian villages and night-time raids causes fear and intimidation throughout the targeted village. According to former Israeli soldiers, their purpose is to deter all forms of resistance and to pacify the local population.
 
 
 
Updated: August 2016