Military Court Watch

News - political

Date	Country or institution	Details
November 2019	US	107 House Democrats rebuke State Department reversal on Israeli settlements: "This State Department decision blatantly disregards Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which affirms that any occupying power shall not “deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.” In ignoring international law, this administration has undermined America’s moral standing and sent a dangerous message to those who do not share our values: human rights and international law, which have governed the international order and protected U.S. troops and civilians since 1949, no longer apply. If the U.S. unilaterally abandons international and human rights law, we can only expect a more chaotic and brutal twenty-first century for Americans and our allies, including the Israeli people." Full letter
November 2019	US	Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo: "The establishment of Israeli civilian settlements in the West Bank is not per se inconsistent with international law." (Link)
July 2019	UK	Parliamentary Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statistics collected by Military Court Watch from the testimonies of Palestinian children who were detained by the Israeli military in the West Bank in 2019, published in May, and its findings that (1) 52 per cent were arrested at night, (2) 95 per cent were hand-tied, often painfully, (3) 91 per cent were blindfolded in contravention of the recommendations of Unicef, (4) 69 per cent experienced some form of physical abuse such as slapping, kicking and punching, (5) 67 per cent experienced threats, and (6) 74 per cent reported being denied access to a lawyer prior to questioning; and what representations they intend to make to the government of Israel about those testimonies. (HL16596) Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are extremely concerned about the treatment of Palestinian children detained in Israeli prisons. Reports of the heavy use of painful restraints and the high number of Palestinian children who are not informed of their legal rights, in contravention of Israel's own regulations, are particularly concerning. We continue to make representations to the Israeli authorities on this issue and we remain committed to working with Israel to secure improvements to the practices surrounding Palestinian children in detention in Israel.
June 2019	UK	Parliamentary Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of the number of Palestinian children held in Israeli prisons; how many representations they have made to the government of Israel about this being a war crime under Article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention; when those representations were made; by whom they were made; and what action they are taking under Article 146 of the Geneva Convention to provide effective penal sanctions for person committing unlawful transfers. (HL15843) Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We understand 203 Palestinian children were in Israeli military detention at the end of December 2018. It remains our assessment that transfer of Palestinian child and adult detainees to prisons inside Israel is in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention. We continue to make representations to the Israeli authorities at Ministerial and senior official level outlining our concerns around Israel’s treatment of Palestinian children in Israeli detention. Most recently officials at our Embassy in Tel Aviv raised our concerns with the Israeli authorities on 18 March.
April 2019	US	Bill introduced into House of Representatives - On 29 April 2019, Congresswoman Betty McCollum introduced a bill to Congress (H.R. 2407) - "Promoting Human Rights of Palestinian Children Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act". The stated purpose of the bill is to “promote human rights for Palestinian children living under Israeli military occupation and require that United States funds do not support military detention, interrogation, abuse, or ill-treatment of Palestinian children.” The Bill asserts that the $3.8 billion provided annually by the US to Israel in military assistance “enables” the abuse of children, but does not present the evidence relied on to establish direct US funding of specific Israeli military units involved in such abuse, as required under US law.
July 2018	Australia	Parliamentary Question: Does the Australian Government accept that the transfer of Palestinian child detainees from the West Bank to prisons inside Israel violates Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention? Department of Foreign Affairs: This is a hypothetical question. Whether a transfer of detainees would violate Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention would depend on the specific factual circumstances in each instance. (Link)
July 2018	Australia	Parliamentary Question: In representations to Israel, has Australia raised concerns that the unlawful transfer of children out of the West Bank to prisons inside Israel may be in violation of Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention? Department of Foreign Affairs: Australia makes regular representations to Israel relating to Palestinian minors in detention. Those representations do not mention the specific matter raised in the question. (Link)
June 2018	UK	Parliamentary Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2018 to Question 132493 on Israel: Courts Martial, if he will take steps to find out if (a) British or (b) British-Israeli citizens are serving as judges in accordance with the UK’s legal obligations under Article 146 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. The Minister for the Middle East (Alistair Burt MP) - The British Government does not plan on taking steps to find out if British or British-Israeli citizens are serving as judges in Israel’s military courts.â€‹ (Link)
May 2018	UK	Parliamentary Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have held with the government of the United States on the decision no longer to refer to the West Bank and East Jerusalem as “occupied territories” in the United States State Department’s report, Israel and the Golan Heights 2017 Human Rights Report, published on 20 April, for the first time since the State Department began to issue Human Rights Reports in 1999; what is their assessment of the implications of this change for international law and United States policy; and whether they will re-affirm their own position on those territories and on Gaza. Minister of State (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) - While we have not raised this specific issue with the US, the UK position remains clear. We consider that the level of control that Israel retains over the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza amounts to occupation under international law, Hence Israel’s presence is governed by the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, to which Israel is a state party. The UK is firmly committed to the promotion and protection of human rights and compliance with international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and we continue to call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law. (Link)
March 2018	UK	Parliamentary Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Office, how many people involved in the transfer of Palestinian children out of the West Bank to prisons inside Israel entered the UK in 2017. The Minister for the Middle East (Alistair Burt MP) - The Government does not request or hold the information highlighted. (Link)
March 2018	UK	Parliamentary Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on whether any UK citizens are serving as judges in Israeli military courts in the West Bank; and if he will make a statement. The Minister for the Middle East (Alistair Burt MP) - â€‹The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold any information on whether any British or British-Israeli citizens are serving as judges in Israeli military courts. (Link)
March 2018	UK	Parliamentary Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Office, with reference to Children in Military Custody, published in June 2012, how many of that report's recommendations have been implemented by the Government. The Minister for the Middle East (Alistair Burt MP) - In June 2016, non-governmental organisations assessed that Israel had implemented only one of 40 recommendations outlined in the 2012 report by British lawyers. We continue to call upon Israel to fully implement all the recommendations and improve the conditions for Palestinian minors in Israeli military detention.
February 2018	UK	Parliamentary Debate: Military detention of Palestinian children by Israeli authorities (Transcript / Video)
January 2018	Denmark	Foreign Affairs Committee - Minister for Foreign Affairs (Anders Sameulsen MP) - Questions three and four concern the Israeli organization NGO Monitor. It is well-known that NGO Monitor travels around the world and meets with politicians. It is also no secret that parties in the parliament have met with the organization. Everyone is free to do so. As a politician, you meet with many organizations and listen to their views. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has had meetings with NGO Monitor both at home and locally and stated that the organization in many cases does not provide proper and actual documentation of their claims and that in some cases there has been direct misleading information. We have also stated that the organization as a whole does not have a sufficiently balanced approach - especially when NGO Monitor itself claims to be impartial.
January 2018	UK	Parliamentary Question: Does the Minister share my outrage at the continued detention of 16-year-old Ahed Tamimi in Israel, in violation of article 76 of the fourth Geneva convention, and will he raise this issue, and our concerns about it, with the Israeli Government? The Minister for the Middle East (Alistair Burt MP) - I know both the Tamimi family and Nabi Saleh, and it is a very unhappy incident all round. The truth is that the soldiers should not be there and the young woman should not have needed to do what she did. It is sad that two young people who ought to be friends are caught up in a situation in which, because of the failure to deal comprehensively with what is happening on the west bank and in Israel, we cannot come to a settlement. We have indeed made representations. It is important that Israel follows through the law, as it is entitled to do, but when we see the whole incident on video it tells us that this should not be happening and we should be working hard to get a settlement to this issue so these young people do not have to continue to do what they are doing. (Transcript / Video)
January 2018	UK	Parliamentary Question: What recent discussions he has had with the Israeli Government on the military detention of Palestinian children. The Minister for the Middle East (Alistair Burt MP) - Israel’s treatment of vulnerable Palestinian minors held in military detention also remains a human rights priority for the UK. I raised our concerns with the Israeli authorities during my visit to Israel in August last year, and will continue to do so. (Transcript / Video)
November 2017	UK	Parliamentary Early Day Motion - Military Detention of Palestinian Children by Israeli Authorities. (EDM 563)
November 2017	US	Bill introduced into House of Representatives - On 13 November 2017, Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) introduced legislation— the Promoting Human Rights by Ending Israeli Military Detention of Palestinian Children Act, H.R. 4391 — to prevent United States tax dollars from supporting the Israeli military’s ongoing detention and mistreatment of Palestinian children. The full text of the bill can be found here. The Bill was co-sponsored by Representatives Mark Pocan, Earl Blumenauer, André Carson, John Conyers, Jr., Danny K. Davis, Peter A. DeFazio, Raul Grijalva, Luis V. Gutiérrez, and Chellie Pingree.
March 2017	UK	Parliamentary Question: "To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel on the eight month delay by the Israeli Prison Service in supplying disaggregated, up to date prison statistics relating to the number of Palestinians, both adult and children, held in its facilities; and whether they have received any undertakings on when these will be provided." (HL6029) Baroness Anelay of St Johns: "We continue to encourage the Israeli authorities to publish information of interest to the wider public in line with the UK's transparency and good governance initiative 'Open Government'."
March 2017	UK	Parliamentary Early Day Motion - Fourth anniversary of the UNICEF report on children in military detention in Israel. (EDM 1032)
December 2016	Australia	Parliamentary Question: "Since January 2014, on how many occasions has an official from the Australian Embassy in Tel Aviv or the Australian Representative Office in Ramallah attended a hearing of a Palestinian minor in the military courts." Senator Brandis: "Since January 2008, Australian officials have not attended a hearing of a Palestinian minor in a military court." (Link)
November 2016	Australia	In November 49 members of Australia's Federal Parliament (20%) raised concerns about continued reports of the ill-treatment of children in Israeli military detention.
October 2016	UK	Parliamentary Question: "Last week on a cross-party visit to the west bank I was deeply concerned by the human rights abuses being perpetrated by the Government of Israel. Can the Foreign Secretary tell me when the follow-up legal report into the Israeli treatment of Palestinian child detainees will be published and outline the reasons for the delay?" Mr Tobias Ellwood: "The hon. and learned Lady raises an important aspect of what is a very complicated challenge in the middle east that has been rumbling on for far too long. I raised this issue with the Deputy Foreign Minister during my last visit. We have tried to get further access and further conditions put in place to make sure those child detainees are provided with the support they deserve." (Hansard)
September 2016	UK	Parliamentary Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he expects the follow-up report to Children in Military Custody, a report written by a delegation of British lawyers on the treatment of Palestinian children under Israeli military law, published in June 2012, to be published. Mr Tobias Ellwood: The question of when a follow-up report will be published is a matter for the delegation of lawyers that will write it. Meanwhile, the UK Government continues to push for the full implementation of changes recommended in the 2012 report and will work with the Israeli authorities to identify ways to improve these practices.
July 2016	UK	Parliamentary debate (UK) (House of Lords) - Conditions in which Palestinian children are living and the impact on their health and wellbeing (Video / Transcript).
June 2016	UK	Letter from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) confirming the applicatoin of the Fourth Geneva Convention (the Convention) to the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza. The FCO also confirmed that the transfer and detention of Palestinians from the West Bank inside Israel violates Article 76 of the Convention.
March 2016	UK	Parliamentary Question: "What action they intend to take following the second postponement of the visit to follow up the June 2012 report 'Children in Military Custody'. Baroness Anelay Of St Johns: On 18 February during his visit to Israel, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), expressed his disappointment to Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister at Israel's unwillingness to facilitate meetings for the British lawyers. We are now considering alternative means to take forward this work.
March 2016	UK	Parliamentary Question: What recent assessment has [the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs] made of the compatibility with international law of the arrest and transfer of children from the Occupied Palestinian Territories to Israel. Mr Tobias Ellwood: We are clear that Israel has legal obligations as an Occupying Power with respect to the Occupied Palestinian Territories under the Fourth of the Geneva Conventions of 1949. This includes Article 49, which prohibits deportation of protected persons from the occupied territory and Article 76, providing that protected persons convicted of offenses shall be detained and serve their sentences within the occupied territory. We regularly talk to the Government of Israel with regard to the implementation of those obligations and raise our serious concerns, including about the treatment of Palestinian children that are arrested and detained in Israeli prisons. We have been clear with Israel that forcible transfer would be a breach of international humanitarian law and would have serious ramifications on Israel’s international standing.
January 2016	UK	Letter from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Tobias Ellwood MP) to Sarah Champion MP responding to recommendations made during the parliamentary debate on 6 January 2016.
January 2016	UK	Parliamentary Question: "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on the transfer of protected persons from the West Bank to prisons inside Israel." Mr Tobias Ellwood: "We regularly raise our concerns about the treatment of Palestinian prisoners with the Israeli authorities, including routine detention of Palestinians from the West Bank in prison inside Israel. We are particularly concerned about the detention of Palestinian children in Israeli prisons. We welcome recent improvements made by the Israeli authorities, including increasing the age of majority from 16 to 18 years old. However, we remain concerned at the number of Palestinian minors held in Israeli detention."
January 2016	UK	Adjournment Debate in the UK parliament - Child Prisoners and Detainees: Occupied Palestinian Territories - (Video / Transcript)
November 2015	UK	Early Day Motion (EDM) (UK parliament): That this House notes that Military Court Watch has lodged a submission with the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention relating to the detention and transfer of Palestinian minors from the West Bank to prisons located inside Israel in violation of both the Fourth Geneva Convention and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
October 2015	Netherlands	Parliamentary Question to the Foreign Affairs Minister, Bert Koenders concerning the granting of export licenses for service dogs supplied to the Israeli military in circumstances where there are reports that the dogs are involved in human rights' abuses.
September 2015	Australia	Debate in parliament on the Middle East during which the link between the detention of Palestinian children in the West Bank and Israeli settlements was considered.
August 2015	UK	Letter from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) with an update on Palestinian child detainees.
July 2015	US	Letter from State Department to member of Congress, Ms. McCollum concerning children held in Israeli military detention.
July 2015	US	Letter from 4 members of Congress to the Secretary of State, John Kerry, relating to the treatment of Palestinian children held in Israeli military detention and UNICEF's finding that ill-treatment throughout the system appears to be "widespread, systematic and institutionalised".
June 2015	US	Letter from 19 members of Congress to the Secretary of State, John Kerry, relating to the treatment of Palestinian children held in Israeli military detention and UNICEF's finding that ill-treatment throughout the system appears to be "widespread, systematic and institutionalised".
May 2015	Netherlands	Statement to parliament by the Dutch Foreign Minister, Bert Koenders on child detention
May 2015	Netherlands	Human Rights Ambassador of the Netherlands visits Ofer military court.
March 2015	Norway	Debate in the Norwegian Parliament on children held in Israeli military detention. MPs from several parties spoke and there was broad agreement that human rights standards must be upheld. The Minister for Foreign Affairs stated that the issue was the subject of dialogue with the Israeli authorities and that Norway would continue to raise its concerns. The Minister also stated that although there had been recent developments in the military court system, these were not sufficient to bring about positive change in the way children were being treated.
March 2015	UK	Parliamentary Question: "To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel and what response they have received concerning the second update by UNICEF issued in February 2015 on its report of March 2013 entitled "Children in Military Detention", with reference to the alleged ill-treatment of children during arrest, transfer, interrogation and detention." (HL5203) Baroness Anelay of St Johns: "Since the publication of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office-funded independent report on Children in Military Custody in June 2012, there has been some progress on the issue of children held in military detention. This includes a pilot to use summons instead of night-time arrests, and steps to reduce the amount of time a child can be detained before seeing a judge. We have welcomed the steps taken to date, but we have called for further measures, including the mandatory use of audio-visual recording of interrogations, investigation into continued reports of single hand ties being used, and an end to solitary confinement for children. We continue to have concerns about mistreatment of Palestinian detainees, including during arrest, transfer, interrogation and detention and about Israel's respect of its obligations in this regard as an Occupying Power under applicable international law. We have raised concerns over treatment of Palestinian detainees with the Israeli authorities on many occasions, including at Foreign Minister, Attorney General and National Security Adviser levels. We have not made representations to the Government of Israel specifically concerning the second update by the UN International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) on its report, "Children in Military Detention"."
March 2015	UK	Parliamentary Question: "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reported use in Israel of solitary confinement for children held in military detention. (HL5204) Baroness Anelay of St Johns: "Both the UN International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have told us that there has been a drastic decrease in the use of solitary confinement of children over the past year. Israeli officials tell us that solitary confinement does not take place, but that children are held in isolation during the time of their interrogation to avoid them from collaborating their stories. We are following up on this point and have asked for statistics on the use of isolation. We have raised concerns over solitary confinement with the Israeli authorities on many occasions, including with the Foreign Minister, Attorney General and National Security Adviser, and most recently with the Director of Human Rights."
March 2015	UK	Parliamentary Question: "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports by UNICEF that children in military detention in Israel have been made to sign untranslated written confessions in Hebrew." (HL5206) Baroness Anelay of St Johns: "Since the publication of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office-funded independent report on Children in Military Custody in June 2012, there has been some progress on the issue of children held in military detention. This includes a pilot to use summons instead of night-time arrests, and steps to reduce the amount of time a child can be detained before seeing a judge. We have welcomed the steps taken to date, but we have called for further measures, including the mandatory use of audio-visual recording of interrogations, investigation into continued reports of single hand ties being used, and an end to solitary confinement for children. We continue to have concerns about mistreatment of Palestinian detainees including that children in military detention in Israel have been made to sign un-translated written confessions in Hebrew, and about Israel's respect of its obligations in this regard as an Occupying Power under applicable international law. Israeli interlocutors at the Ministry of Justice have told us that the security orders mandate that all documents must be written in both Hebrew and Arabic – including any information added by hand. We have raised concerns over treatment of Palestinian detainees with the Israeli authorities on many occasions, including at Foreign Minister, Attorney General and National Security Adviser levels. We will continue to follow up on these allegations and raise this issue as a serious concern."
March 2015	UK	Parliamentary Question: "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reported methods of transportation used in Israel for children held in military detention." (HL5205) Baroness Anelay of St Johns: "Since the publication of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office-funded independent report on Children in Military Custody in June 2012, there has been some progress on the issue of children held in military detention. This includes a pilot to use summons instead of night-time arrests, and steps to reduce the amount of time a child can be detained before seeing a judge. We have welcomed the steps taken to date, but we have called for further measures, including the mandatory use of audio-visual recording of interrogations, investigation into continued reports of single hand ties being used, and an end to solitary confinement for children. We continue to have concerns about mistreatment of Palestinian detainees on various issues but have not yet addressed methods of transportation. We continue to raise concerns over treatment of Palestinian detainees with the Israeli authorities on many occasions, including at Foreign Minister, Attorney General and National Security Adviser levels."
January 2015	Netherlands	The Foreign Minister of the Netherlands reported to Parliament that Israel's chief military prosecutor in the West Bank has advised that the pilot scheme to limit the night arrest of minors has been suspended (date unspecified) due to an "escalation in violence". The Foreign Minister also advised that no statistics were kept whilst the pilot scheme was in operation calling into question the bona fides of the programme.
December 2014	UK	Debate in the House of Commons regarding Palestine and the stalled peace process. Transcript of debate
October 2014	Australia	Parliamentary Question - Is it the Government’s view that the Fourth Geneva Convention applies in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem? Department of Foreign Affairs - The issue raised by this question has been the subject of legal advice provided by the Department to the Government. That advice is subject to legal professional privilege and is therefore confidential. (Link)
October 2014	Netherlands	Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Question 165):- Is it true that also in September 2014 hundreds of Palestinian children were held in Israeli custody without applying basic legal rules? If no, what are the facts? Is it also true that 47 percent of these children are detained within Israel against the rules of the Fourth Geneva convention. If no, what are the facts? How does the Dutch government bring these ongoing violations of the rights of Palestinian children to the attention of the Israeli authorities? Cabinet:- As of August 31, 2014 there were, according to the latest figures from the Israel Prison Authority, 201 minor Palestinians in Israeli detention, of which 47% in facilities in Israel. The Israeli government has in recent years made some changes with regard to the conditions in which Palestinian children are being arrested and detained by Israel. At the same time there is still much room for improvement. The government will continue to emphasize the position of Palestinian minors in Israeli detention in bilateral contacts with Israel and jointly at EU level. Additionally the Netherlands supports NGOs working for the rights of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention.
July 2014	UK	Parliamentary Question: “To ask HMG whether they have had discussions with the directors of G4S about that company’s adherence to the terms of the Fourth Geneva Convention as it applies to the detention of Palestinian prisoners inside Israel; and what was the outcome of any such discussions.” Baroness Warsi:- “The Government has made clear our concerns about Israel’s treatment of Palestinian detainees in meetings with G4S. The UK also considers that Israel’s detention of Palestinian prisoners within Israel is contrary to Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention and have clearly stated this position to Israeli officials. International law does not impose direct obligations on corporations. However, the Government encourages British companies to show respect for human rights in their operations in the UK and internationally. On 21 April 2013, G4S publicly confirmed that they would not renew a number of security contracts in the West Bank 'to ensure that G4S Israel business practices remain in line with our own business ethics policy’. These include the servicing of security equipment at Ofer Military Prison, at West Bank checkpoints and at a police station in the contentious E-1 area of Jerusalem.”
July 2014	UK	Parliamentary Question: 'What representations has the Government made to G4S about the legal implications of it remaining involved with the Israeli Prison Service until 2017 in the light of Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention and its application to the detention of Palestinians" Baroness Warsi:- "The UK considers that Israel’s detention of Palestinian prisoners within Israel is contrary to Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention and have clearly stated this position to Israeli officials. We have also made clear our concerns about Israel’s treatment of Palestinian detainees in meetings with G4S. International law does not impose direct obligations on corporations. However, the Government encourages British companies to show respect for human rights in their operations in the UK and internationally. In September 2013, we launched the UK Action Plan based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. This is voluntary guidance which British businesses can consult on doing business in Israel and OPTs, but ultimately it is the decision of an individual or company concerned.”
24 June 2014	EU	Letter from Commissioner Ashton regarding children held in Israeli military detention. Letter
18 June 2014	UK	Parliamentary Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office-sponsored report, Children in Military Custody, on Israeli interrogation methods of Palestinian children; and what follow-up to the report they intend to undertake. Baroness Warsi: The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right Hon. Friend the Member for Faversham and Mid Kent (Mr Robertson), wrote to the Israeli Attorney General on 31 March 2014 to welcome the steps taken to date and to call for further measures, including the mandatory use of audio-visual recording of interrogations, investigation into continued reports of single hand ties being used, and an end to solitary confinement for children. These were key UK recommendations at Israel's Universal Periodic Review session at the UN Human Rights Council on 29 October 2013. A progress report published in October 2013 by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) indicates that Israel has taken some positive steps towards addressing the recommendations in the report. These include: the introduction of legal obligations to inform the child's parents of an arrest and grant them legal status to be represented in court, as well as to notify minors of their legal rights; and standard operating procedures on methods of restraint. The Israeli military are also piloting a new procedure across the West Bank, whereby children are issued a summons to attend a police station in the morning, rather than being arrested at night, in their homes. The UK believes that the report "Children in Military Custody" has helped contribute to these changes in practice.
5 June 2014	Australia	Mr. Varghese:- "There has been no change in the Australian Government's position on the legal status of the Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem." More
5 June 2014	Australia	Parliamentary Question: "In respect of Palestinian children in custody, have any representations - and if so, what was the nature of those representations - been made to the Israeli government? Mr. Varghese:- "In February, the Australian Embassy in Israel made formal representations to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Justice expressing Australia's concerns about Israel's security and judicial practices towards Palestinian minors. This followed the Embassy's last round of formal representations on this issue in March 2013. The Department also raised Australia's concerns about this issue with the Israeli Embassy in Canberra in February. More
15 May 2014	EU	Written question to Commissioner Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy regarding the lack of progress in implementing UNICEF's recommendations on the treatment of children held in Israeli military detention and the use of double interrogations. More
13 May 2014	Netherlands	Frans Timmermans, Foreign Minister:- “Despite repeated requests to implement the recommendations of the UNICEF Report (Children in Israeli Military Detention), it seems that there has been only very limited improvement in the situation of Palestinian child prisoners. Reports by UNICEF, Military Court Watch and other UN agencies contain concrete recommendations concerning changes to the law and implementation. The Cabinet will raise these recommendations in their discussions with the Israeli government." More
13 May 2014	UK	Parliamentary Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many of the 38 recommendations made by UNICEF in its March 2013 report on children in Israeli military detention have been implemented by the government of Israel; and what discussions they have had with that government on the number that are yet to be implemented. Baroness Warsi: The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)’s most recent progress report on children in Israeli military detention, published in October 2013, indicates that Israel has taken some positive steps but does not give an assessment as to how many of the recommendations UNICEF consider to have been implemented. We continue to urge the Israeli authorities to take action on the recommendations made in the UNICEF report and the earlier independent report by senior British lawyers. Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for Faversham and Mid Kent (Mr Robertson), wrote to the Israeli Attorney General on this issue on 31 March.
March 2014	UK	Hugh Robertson, Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Cons): - "We continue to press the Israeli authorities for full implementation of the steps announced, for example, with respect to use of plastic hand ties and the start of the promised pilot of the use of summons, as well as the action on other recommendations in the Children in Military Detention report. Since my earlier letter, we have raised our concerns with the Head of Military Prosecutions and again with the Attorney General."
12 February 2014	Netherlands	The Standing Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs in the Dutch Parliament held a wide ranging debate on relations with Israel and Palestine. During the debate the issue of the treatment of Palestinian children held in Israeli military detention was raised by Joel Voordewind (Christian Union), Pieter Omtzigt (CDA), Sjoerd Sjoerdsma (D66) and Michiel Servaes (PVDA) with a particular focus on treatment during the first 24 hours following arrest. In his response, Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans informed the Committee that he had raised concerns about the treatment of children in military detention with Israel’s Justice Minister, Tzipi Livni who is aware of the problems. Timmermans noted that there are now specific laws relating to children below the age of 18 and the eight-day period during which a child must be brought before a military court judge for the first time has been reduced. However, night raids, the lack of adequate access to lawyers, documentation written in Hebrew and “tough” interrogations remain a problem. The Foreign Minister informed the Committee that he will continue to raise these issues at the highest level. Read more
20 January 2014	UK	Hugh Robertson, Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Cons): We regularly urge the Israeli authorities to act in accordance with international law, including their legal obligations under the Fourth Geneva convention, and to adopt recommendations of the report—including recommendations relating to the first 24 hours of arrest and detention such as not making arrests at night, informing parents of a child’s arrest in Arabic, ending shackling, allowing a parent or lawyer to accompany the child on arrest and audio-visual recording of interviews —and will continue to do so. Our ambassador to Tel Aviv discussed the issue and recommendations with the Israeli Attorney-General, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice on 31 December. The UK also raised this issue at Israel’s Universal Periodic Review session at the UN Human Rights Council on 29 October. (Hansard)
14 January 2014	UK	Dame Tessa Jowell MP (Lab): To ask the Foreign Secretary: 1. What steps the UK Government has taken to ensure that specific legal duties and obligations under Article 1 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, “to respect and to ensure respect for the Convention in all circumstances”, are being honoured in relation to the detention of children in military custody in the Occupied Territories. 2. What representations he has made to the Israeli authorities about the forty recommendations made by the delegation of nine lawyers in their report, Children in Military Custody, published in June 2012. 3. What urgent representations he will make to the Israeli authorities concerning the conditions under which Palestinian children are arrested and detained within the first twenty-four hours of their arrest.
4 December 2013	UK	Chuka Umunna MP condemns the treatment of Palestinian children held in Israeli military detention. "How can you ask a young juvenile to sign a confession, or a statement... in a language they don't understand and tell me that is acceptable?"
29 October 2013	UK	Parliamentary Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the treatment of Palestinian child detainees in Israel. The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Hugh Robertson): Despite some progress, we retain serious concerns about Israel's treatment of Palestinian child detainees. The British Ambassador in Tel Aviv wrote again to the Israeli Justice Minister on 14 October to urge further action. Parliamentary Question: I welcome the Minister to his new post. May I commend the Foreign Office report "Children in Military Custody" for exposing how the authorities in Israel arrest Palestinian children in the middle of the night, interrogate them without parents or lawyers present, bully them into signing confessions in a language they do not understand, and jail children as young as 12 years old? Will the Minister outline what action he is taking and tell the House how many of the 40 recommendations in the report have been carried out? Hugh Robertson: I am due to make my first visit to the region next week, so will be addressing many of the concerns outlined in the hon. Gentleman's question. As he knows, the Foreign Office, funded the report carried out by Baroness Scotland. We continue to urge the Government of Israel to implement it in full. As I have said, I will be taking that up next week.
4 October 2013	Netherlands	Frans Timmermans, Minister of Foreign Affairs (Letter): Minister Timmermans stated that the government is concerned about the circumstances in which Palestinian minors are being arrested and detained by Israel. These prove to be in violation of international law and treaties Israel has signed and ratified. Human rights organizations and the UN have reported, amongst others, about arrests at night, not using Arabic during interrogation, torture and maltreatment, and that convictions are solely based on the confessions of the children. Minister Timmermans informed that he talked with Israeli Minister of Justice Livni about the situation of Palestinian children in Israeli detention. He said that the Israeli government is aware of its shortcomings and that they are working hard on improving this. Despite several improvements recently of the Israeli policy, the Dutch government still thinks Israel has to improve its policy to fulfil international obligations in regard of detaining Palestinians. Especially in relation to the arrest and detention of Palestinian minors.
2 September 2013	UK	Parliamentary Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the role of G4S in the Israeli prison system. Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not receive reports on G4S's role in the Israeli prison system. However, the Government has made clear our concerns about Israel's treatment of Palestinian detainees and our position on the illegality of Israeli settlements to G4S, including at meetings with G4S in July 2013 and in October 2012.
28 August 2013	UK	Barry Griffiths - Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Letter): We continue to be concerned about the treatment of Palestinian children in the Israeli military justice system. We funded and facilitated an independent report on Children in Military Custody by leading British lawyers, published last year. Minister Burt wrote to the Israeli Ambassador to urge Israel to take action on the report’s recommendations and most recently discussed this issue in June with the Israeli Justice Minister and with the Israeli Attorney General. The recommendations were also the subject of a meeting between FCO officials and a senior Israeli legal delegation in January whilst the British Ambassador in Tel Aviv has raised them with a number of senior Israeli government figures, including the Justice Minister on 8 August. During these conversations, Israeli representatives have outlined the various steps that Israel has taken to address the concerns expressed in this and other reports and to reduce the legal disparity between the treatment of Palestinian children and the treatment of children in Israel. These actions have included the creation of a special court for minors; a change in the age of majority; reductions in the length of time children can be held in pre-trial detention and in the period children can be held before being brought before a judge; and steps to grant parents legal status to be represented in court. We welcome the steps taken to date but have pressed for further measures, including the mandatory use of audio-visual recording of interrogations and an end to solitary confinement for children. We have also outlined our concerns on the issues of night-time arrests and the continued transfer of Palestinian child and adult detainees to prisons inside Israel in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention. I can assure you that we will continue to press for further progress on the rights of child detainees and for Israel to uphold its obligations under international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
14 July 2013	UK	Parliamentary Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the legal obligations of the UK Government under Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention with regards to investigating (a) the corporate entity of G4S plc for aiding and abetting breaches of the Convention in the transfer of detainees from the West Bank. Alistair Burt: The British Government ensures it acts in accordance with our international law obligations. However, in accordance with longstanding convention followed by successive governments, we are not able to comment on detailed legal advice. Whilst international law does not impose direct obligations on corporations, the British Government has made clear our concerns about Israel's treatment of Palestinian detainees to G4S and our clear position on the illegality of the settlements, including at a meeting with representatives from G4S in October 2012. On 21 April, G4S publicly confirmed that they would not renew a number of security contracts in the West Bank 'to ensure that G4S Israel business practices remain in line with our own business ethics policy'. These include the servicing of security equipment at Ofer Military Prison, at West Bank checkpoints and at a police station in the contentious E-1 area of Jerusalem.
12 July 2013	US	State Department: At the Daily Press Briefing a question was asked about the arrest of a five-year-old Palestinian boy by Israeli soldiers on 9 July. Ms. Psaki: "Well, we have seen, of course, the reports. I would note that on our – that as a part of our Country Report on Human Rights Practices, which we release regularly, as you know, this addresses – this report addresses the issue of treatment of minors and expresses our concern."
25 June 2013	Netherlands	Debate in the Dutch parliament concerning allegations of mistreatment of children held in Israeli military detention included in a recent report published by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (Concluding Observations). In the absence of the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Defence, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, responded on behalf of the government. The Minister agreed to include in a letter to the Israeli government the parliament's concerns that children continue to be arrested at night and that independent oversight during interrogation should be provided by the presence of a lawyer, a parent of the child and the audio-visual recording of all interrogations. Concern was also expressed during the debate that in spite of regular dialogue with the Israeli authorities concerning possible human rights violations, Israel appears to be simply ignoring its international legal obligations.
21 June 2013	Netherlands	Frans Timmermans, Minister of Foreign Affairs: The Dutch Foreign Minister raises concerns about the treatment of children held in Israeli military detention with the Israeli Minister of Justice, Tzipi Livni.
20 June 2013	US	State Department: Daily Press briefing: Following a question about the Concluding Observations issued by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, the State Department spokesperson addressed the issue of children prosecuted in Israeli military courts. Ms. Psaki: Our concerns about human rights and the treatment of children are well-known and documented, of course, in our Annual Human Rights Report. Our report on Israel and the Occupied Territories contains information on this exact topic.
18 June 2013	UK	Parliamentary Question: It is a year since the publication of the “Children in Military Custody” report and the lack of reform is lamentable. Will the Minister press the Israeli Government on specific deadlines on specific issues, such as the implementation of the use of audio-visual recordings in all interrogations? Specific deadlines on specific issues could help progress. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs - Alistair Burt: In addition to my efforts last week, I will this week see the Israeli Attorney-General, who is paying a visit to the UK. I absolutely intend to raise that issue with him. The Government support the report. Provisions in it will benefit not only children, but how Israel is seen. Currently, some 238 children are within the Israeli judicial system, including 137 in Israel. The issues are pressing, and I will continue to raise them very straightforwardly with the Attorney-General when he is here.
1 May 2013	UK	Barry Griffiths - Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Letter): We wish to take this opportunity to clarify that it was not intended to suggest in Minister Burt's statement (4 September 2012) that ... companies and individuals involved in criminality may be protected from criminal investigation and prosecution as long as they are fulfilling a contractual duty arising from an agreement with the Israeli government. The UK has made clear our concerns about the treatment of Palestinian detainees to G4S, including at a meeting with representatives from G4S in October 2012. However, international law does not impose direct obligations on corporations.
15 April 2013	UK	The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs - Alistair Burt: We have raised with the Israeli authorities our concerns about the treatment of Palestinian child detainees, including the issues of hooding and shackling, on a number of occasions. We consider such practices to be wrong. During his visit to Israel in November 2012, the Attorney-General, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr Grieve) discussed our concerns with his Israeli counterpart, Yehuda Weinstein, and other senior interlocutors. Mr Weinstein agreed to further talks between Israeli and British legal experts on the subject. In addition, Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials discussed these with a senior Israeli legal delegation in London on 31 January.
15 April 2013	UK	The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs - Alistair Burt: During his visit to Israel in November 2012 the Attorney-General, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr Grieve) raised the issue of audio-visual recording of interviews with Palestinian children held in Israeli military detention, as recommended in an independent report by British legal experts, with the Israeli Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein and other senior interlocuters. Mr Weinstein agreed to further talks between Israeli and British legal experts on the subject. This followed previous discussions between our embassy in Tel Aviv and the Israeli authorities on this and other recommendations made in the June 2012 report. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials discussed the recommendations and progress on this issue with a senior Israeli legal delegation on 31 January 2013. The delegation reported that recording of police interviews with Palestinian children was being introduced in some cases. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials urged that this practice be made uniform and be formalised into Israeli policy and law.
15 April 2013	UK	The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs - Alistair Burt: We have raised with the Israeli authorities our concerns about the treatment of Palestinian child detainees, including the issue of night-time arrests, on a number of occasions. During his visit to Israel in November 2012, the Attorney-General, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr Grieve) discussed the issue with his Israeli counterpart, Yehuda Weinstein, and other senior interlocutors. Mr Weinstein agreed to further talks between Israeli and British legal experts on the subject. In addition, Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials discussed this with a senior Israeli legal delegation in London on 31 January.
7 March 2013	UK	The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs - Alistair Burt: We have raised with the Israeli authorities our concerns about the treatment of Palestinian child detainees, including the issues of hooding and shackling, on a number of occasions. We consider such practices to be wrong. During his visit to Israel in November 2012, the Attorney-General, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr Grieve), discussed our concerns with his Israeli counterpart, Yehuda Weinstein, and other senior interlocutors. Mr Weinstein agreed to further talks between UK and British legal experts on the subject, in addition, Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials discussed these with a senior Israeli legal delegation in London on 31 January.
11 February 2013	UK	Alistair Burt MP: During his visit to Israel in November 2012 the Attorney-General, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr Grieve) raised the issue of audio-visual recording of interviews with Palestinian children held in Israeli military detention, as recommended in an independent report by British legal experts, with the Israeli Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein and other senior interlocuters. Mr Weinstein agreed to further talks between UK and British legal experts on the subject. This followed previous discussions between the embassy in Tel Aviv and the Israeli authorities on this and other recommendations made in the June 2012 report. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials discussed the recommendations and progress on this issue with a senior Israeli legal delegation on 31 January 2013.
5 February 2013	UK	The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs - Alistair Burt: We remain concerned about the treatment of Palestinian children under the Israeli military court system. We continue to lobby the Israeli authorities for improvements, including a reduction in the number of arrests that occur at night, an end to shackling and the introduction of audio-visual recording of interrogations. We welcomed Israel's decision of 4 October 2011 to raise the age of legal majority for Palestinian children in the Israeli military justice system, a step we had advocated. I raised the implementation of this decision with the Israel ambassador on 23 February. In addition to our lobbying of the Israeli authorities, we also funded and facilitated an independent report into the issue of child detainees by leading British lawyers: http://www.childreninmilitarycustody.org/report/ We are urging the Israeli Government to take forward the recommendations from this report. Our ambassador to Israel has discussed the report's findings with the Israeli Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General and with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and we will continue this dialogue. I have written to the Israeli ambassador to urge Israel to take action on the report and have discussed follow-up to the report with the right hon. Baroness Scotland of Asthal QC. The Attorney-General, during his visit to Israel in November 2012, discussed the report with his Israeli counterpart who agreed to further detailed talks between Israeli and British officials on the recommendations.
4 February 2013	UK	The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs - Alistair Burt: We regularly raise the treatment of children in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) with the Israeli authorities. While we have not discussed the rights of children under the specific auspices of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, we have discussed in detail issues affecting children, including themes relating to the convention. As part of our ongoing dialogue with Israel on this issue, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office funded an independent report on Palestinian children in Israeli detention which was launched on 26 June. The report was written by a team of respected British lawyers, led by the right hon. Baroness Scotland of Asthal QC and Sir Stephen Sedley. We continue to press for implementation of the recommendations.
21 January 2013	UK	The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs - Alistair Burt: Our officials in Israel have repeatedly expressed our concerns about children in detention to the Israeli authorities. We welcomed Israel's decision in 2011 to raise the age of legal majority for Palestinian children in the Israeli military justice system, a step we had advocated. I have since raised the implementation of this decision with the Israeli ambassador. In addition, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office funded and facilitated a report by leading British lawyers, including Baroness Scotland. We welcome their independent report entitled "Children in military custody" and share many of the concerns contained in it. We have passed the report to the UK authorities. I have written to the Israeli ambassador to London to urge Israel to take action on the report. During his visit to Israel in November 2012, the Attorney-General, my right hon. and learned Friend Mr Grieve discussed the report with the Israeli Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein and other senior interlocutors. Mr Weinstein agreed to further talks between UK and British legal experts on the subject. This followed previous discussions between the British embassy in Tel Aviv and the Israeli authorities on this and other recommendations made in the June 2012 report.
8 January 2013	UK	Baroness Warsi: Our ambassador to Tel Aviv has discussed the report's findings (Children in military custody) with the Israeli Attorney-General and Deputy Attorney-General and with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We will continue dialogue with the Israeli authorities on this issue.
24 October 2012	UK	The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs - Alistair Burt: I am aware of the Council for Arab-British Understanding's report on Palestinian detainees. Israel's extensive use of administrative detention has been raised on a number of occasions with Israel's ambassador to the UK and the Israeli Government, including with the Israeli Foreign Minister, Vice Prime Minister and National Security Adviser. We also funded and facilitated an independent report into the issue of child detainees by leading British lawyers. We are urging the Israeli Government to take forward the recommendations from this report, including an end to shackling and night-time arrest of children, and the introduction of audio-visual recording of interrogations. The UK's ambassador to Israel has discussed the children in military custody report's findings with the Israeli Attorney General and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and we are continuing this dialogue. I have also written to the Israeli ambassador on the subject and have met Baroness Scotland, as one of the authors, to discuss follow up to this report … More
4 September 2012	UK	Parliamentary Question: Is the Foreign Secretary aware that the directors of G4S are possibly violating Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention through their involvement in imprisoning Palestinian children in Israeli jails and, if so, would he like to comment on that." The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs - Alistair Burt: The issue of contractual arrangements between the Israeli Government and their contractors is a matter for them. We are aware that concerns have been raised about the issue and know that enquiries are going on in that regard, but essentially the contract between G4S and the Israeli Government is a matter for them.
3 September 2012	UK	The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs - Alistair Burt: I share your concerns about the treatment of Palestinian children detained in Israeli prisons. We welcomed Israel's decision last year to raise the age of legal majority for Palestinian children in the Israeli military justice system, a step we had advocated. I have raised the implementation of this decision with the Israeli ambassador. We continue to call for further improvements, including an end to shackling, an end to night-time arrests of children, and the introduction of audio-visual recording of interrogations. Our ambassador in Tel Aviv discussed these issues with the Israeli Attorney-General on 6 July. In addition we have funded and facilitated research into this issue by leading British lawyers. We welcome their independent report entitled “Children in military custody” and share many of the concerns contained in it. We have passed the report to the Israeli authorities and will be urging them to take forward the recommendations.
7 August 2012	Australia	Australian Foreign Minister raises concerns about the system in which Palestinian children as young as 12 are prosecuted in military courts with Israel's Defence Minister Ehud Barak.
23 July 2012	UK	Lord Howell of Guildford: We have concerns about the treatment of Palestinian children detained in Israeli prisons. We have an ongoing dialogue with the Israeli authorities on this question and continue to call for further improvements, including a reduction in the number of arrests that occur at night, an end to shackling and the introduction of audio-visual recording of interrogations. Our ambassador most recently discussed the issue with the Israeli Attorney General on 6 July.In addition we have supported research into this issue by leading British lawyers. Their independent report entitled Children in Military Custody was issued on 26 June. We will be discussing its findings and recommendations with the Israeli authorities.
9 July 2012	UK	Lord Howell of Guildford: The Children in Military Custody report was an independent study produced by a team of leading British lawyers and funded by the UK Government. Whilst we recognise that some positive recent steps have been taken to improve the treatment of Palestinian children in the Israeli military justice system, we share many of the report's concerns. We are engaging with the Israeli authorities to encourage further improvements.
30 June 2012	Netherlands	GreenLeft party votes at its annual assembly to act on the issue of Palestinian children in Israeli captivity both in and outside the Dutch and European parliaments.
27 June 2012	UK	Early Day Motion 280 – Report of inquiry into Palestinian children in Israeli military detention – That this House welcomes the publication of the report Children in Military Custody published on 26 June 2012 following the independent inquiry by senior UK lawyers into the treatment of Palestinian children under Israeli military law … More
2 June 2012	Netherlands	Socialist Party (SP) calls on the Dutch government to speak out firmly against the practice of detaining children in solitary confinement in its contacts with Israel, and to call for a total ban of the practice.
15 May 2012	UK	Foreign Affairs and International Development Debate– Dame Joan Ruddock MP – I have just returned from Palestine … Today I want to touch on how Israeli justice is administered in Palestine … the pressure of occupation increases, relentlessly pressing down on every of Palestinian existence. Nowhere is that more poignant than in the treatment of children … More
17 December 2011	Australia	Australian Foreign Minister seeks action on torture allegations involving Palestinian children … More
28 November 2011	UK	Parliamentary Question: “My final point is about child prisoners. We have already mentioned the prisoner swap that rightly led to the release of Gilad Shalit and of some 500 Palestinian prisoners. The second phase of that prisoner swap will take place over the coming weeks. There are 150 Palestinian children in Israeli military detention, but so far, none of those is scheduled to be part of that prisoner swap. Several recent delegations to the west bank and Israel—organised by the Britain-Palestine all-party group, which I chair, and other organisations—have been to the Israeli military courts where those children are tried. Like other hon. Members, I had already read the testimonies about how the laws applying to Palestinian children are different from those applying to Israeli children; about how Palestinian children are tried in military courts, but Israeli children, even in the occupied territories, are tried in civilian courts …” More
25 October 2011	UK	The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs - Alistair Burt: When I was in Israel a few months ago, I raised this matter directly with the Minister responsible, indicating the UK’s concerns about both the detention and the treatment of children. The Israelis have recently raised the age of criminal responsibility in the territories from 16 to 18, so it is the same as for Israeli children. None the less, I know that the Israeli Government do take seriously the fact that children are detained in circumstances that cause concern to NGOs and UNICEF, and we will continue to press them on this … More
18 October 2011	UK	Early Day Motion 2274 – Prisoner exchange and Palestinian child prisoners - That this House welcomes the prisoner exchange which has led to the release of the Israeli soldier GiladShalit and 477 Palestinian prisoners with a further 550 to be released in the next two months; notes, however, that the list of prisoners released in the first stage on 18 October 2011 does not include any children … that Israel's treatment of Palestinian child prisoners has raised serious concerns under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child … More
16 May 2011	EU	MEP letter to Commissioner Ashton regarding the treatment of Palestinian child detainees.
4 May 2011	UK	Lord Dubs - My Lords, I recently visited the West Bank; it was my first time there. Of course any solution must acquire security for Israel, but also dignity, self-respect and justice for the Palestinians.As part of the visit I went to see the Israeli military courts in Ofer. I believe that the way in which these courts operate is an obstacle to achieving a just peace in the region. We went to see how children are treated by this system of military justice. Approximately 700 Palestinian children are prosecuted every year in these courts, and at the end of January this year some 222 were in jail. In the court we visited we saw a 14 year-old and a 15-year-old, one of them in tears, both looking absolutely bewildered. What shocked me as much as anything was to see that these young persons-children-had chains or shackles around their ankles while sitting in court. They were also handcuffed as they went into court. Although the handcuffs were taken off while they were in court, they were put on again as they left the court … More
2 May 2011	UN	UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Palestinian territories occupied since 1967issues statement including reference to the treatment of Palestinian child detainees … More
23 April 2011	UK	National Union of Teachers (NUT) votes to campaign on behalf of Palestinian child detainees. The NUT is Britain’s largest teachers’ union with 250,000 members.
15 March 2011	UK	Palestine parliamentary group publishes new report – mass arrest and ill treatment of children must end … More
17 February 2011	UK	University and College Union (UCU) writes to the Israeli Ambassador to London regarding the treatment of Palestinian child detainees. UCU represents more than 120,000 academic staff in the UK … More
February 2011	EU	EU High Representative, Catherine Ashton responded to questions regarding the use of administrative detention on children - (E-839/11EN) “The issue of administrative detention, in particular of children, is a matter of concern which is closely monitored by the External Action Service, in particular via the EU delegations in Tel Aviv and East Jerusalem. These matters are regularly discussed in bilateral contacts with the Israeli authorities, including the EU-Israel informal working group on human rights and the EU-Israel sub-committee on political dialogue and co- operation. The EU side has consistently urged Israel to adopt the necessary measures to address shortcomings with regard to the excessive use of administrative detention. These matters are and will remain a high priority among the human rights issues that the EU follows in its relations with Israel.”
20 January 2011	UK	The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs - Alistair Burt: During my visit to the region on 16-19 January 2011, I raised general human right issues with a number of my Israeli interlocutors. On the specific issue of child prisoners, our consulate-general in Jerusalem and our embassy in Tel Aviv continue to monitor this issue closely, including attending court cases … More
3 January 2011	EU	Parliamentary questions – It is estimated that over 300 Palestinian children are arrested and imprisoned by Israeli authorities each month. Furthermore, allegations of ill treatment against these detainee minors are commonplace. Can the Commission confirm whether it intends to pursue this serious issue with the Israeli authorities? … More
7 December 2010	UK	Detention of Palestinian children debated in UK parliament for 90 minutes … More
1 December 2010	UK	Prime Minister’s question time - Grahame Morris (Lab) asked the Prime Minister the following question: “I have just got back from a visit to Israel and the West Bank, and I was shocked to witness with my own eyes 13-year-old Palestinian children in leg irons and manacles in Israeli military prisons. That is one of numerous breaches of the UN charter and of article 49 of the fourth Geneva Convention.”