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Home » Children »

Testimony: Y.A.K.

Name: Y.A.K.
Age: 14 
Date of incident: 19 May 2014
Location: Deir Nidham, West Bank
Accusation: None
                                         
On 19 May 2014, a 14-year-old minor from Deir Nidham was detained by Israeli soldiers at 5:30 p.m. and questioned about stone throwers in his village. He reports ill treatment and being denied his basic legal rights under Israeli military law. He reports being released without charge over 4 hours later. 
 
I was on my way to my uncle’s house with my friend M. We were going to study together for our exams. Suddenly an Israeli military jeep pulled over in a terrifying manner. It was around 5:30 p.m. One of the soldiers asked for my name and identity card number. I told him I didn’t have an identity card because I am only 14-years-old.
 
The soldier made me sit on the ground and he started questioning me about boys who throw stones in the village. He threatened to throw a sound grenade at me if I didn’t tell him. I told him I didn’t know anyone who throws stones. I tried to phone my sister to tell her what was happening, when one of the soldiers pulled me by my neck and pushed me into the jeep.
 
Once inside the jeep my hands were tied behind my back with one plastic tie which was tight and painful. A soldier also blindfolded but I could still see through the blindfold. He made me sit on the metal floor of the jeep and pointed his gun at me. The soldiers did the same to my friend.
 
A short while later my parents came and tried to reason with the soldiers and to get us released but they did not succeed. I explained to the soldier that I had had surgery to my leg and couldn’t run; I wanted him to be careful not to cause me an injury, but I don’t think he paid any attention to what I was telling him.
 
The jeep then drove to a nearby spring where we waited on the ground for about 30 minutes. The soldiers slapped me on the way for no reason.
 
The jeep then drove to a nearby village where the soldiers had their meal. I could see that they were eating tuna and corn. One of the soldiers noticed that I could see through the blindfold so he fixed it until I could no longer see. Then the jeep drove back to the entrance to my village.
 
After we arrived back at the entrance to my village, the uncle of my friend came and I heard the soldiers tell him that they wanted two other boys from the village to go to Binyamin police station the following day. One of the boys they wanted is my cousin. We were released at around 10:00 p.m. without any further action being taken. I then realised they were after my cousin and the other boy and not me.