Action Alert: Tell your Representative to support a Special Envoy for Palestinian Children
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) has teamed up with the “No Way to Treat a Child” campaign to challenge Israel's prolonged military occupation of Palestinians. As part of the campaign, we are urging Congress to support a "Special Envoy for Palestinian Youth." Proposed by Representative Betty McCollum (MN-04), the Special Envoy would help ensure that the State Department makes the human rights of Palestinian children a priority, and holds Israeli and Palestinian governments accountable to their obligations under international law.
Palestinian children make up 46% of the 4.68 million Palestinians living in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. These children deserve to grow up with dignity, human rights, and a future free of oppression. Unfortunately, the Israeli government is continuing to deny these rights to Palestinian children in the territories under their control. Each year, the Israeli military arrests and prosecutes around 700 Palestinian children. At the end of February there were a record 440 Palestinian children in Israeli Military prisons, the highest number since date became available in 2008. Additionally, the Israeli government uses administrative detention to imprison Palestinian children without charge, trial, or access to legal counsel.
UNICEF’s 2013 report “Children in Israeli Military Detention Observations and Recommendations” found that Ill-treatment in the Israeli military detention system remains “widespread, systematic, and institutionalized throughout the process.” Additionally, Defense for Children International’s 2016 Report on Palestinian Children in the Israeli Military Detention System found that “Palestinian children in the West Bank, like adults, face arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment under an Israeli military detention system that denies them basic rights.”
Fortunately, members of Congress are finally taking tangible action to support and protect the human rights of Palestinians. Representative Betty McCollum is asking her colleagues in Congress to join her in a letter urging President Obama to appoint a Special Envoy for Palestinian Children. The appointment will give Prime Minister Netanyahu clear notice that Congress and the American people expect Israel to respect and protect the rights of Palestinian children under their control.
Click here to read Rep. McCollum's letter to President Obama
Last year, Rep. McCollum and 18 of her colleagues sent a letter to Secretary John Kerry urging the State Department to advance the rights of Palestinian children. Now the Congresswoman is taking a strong step to ensure that there is a real mechanism in place to protect Palestinian children. Please urge your Representative to join her in supporting human rights for Palestinian children!
The deadline for Representatives to sign this letter is May 20th, so please enter your zip code below to contact your Representative today!