Military Court Watch

Israeli Border Police officer detains a Palestinian child at a protest in Kufr Qaddum, January 25, 2013. (Yotam Ronen/Activestills.org)

Business as usual for children arrested by the IDF

Despite lofty promises and pilot programs aimed at improvement, evidence points to little change in the patterns of abuse Palestinian children are subjected to when arrested by the Israeli army. By Gerard Horton The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced in March 2013 that it would study the conclusions of a UNICEF report on children…

By +972 Magazine September 13, 2015

Israeli soldiers blindfold and arrest a young Palestinian man in Hebron. (photo: Activestills.org)

The illusion of change in the West Bank military courts

Positive developments in the treatment of minors by Israeli security forces are overshadowed by partial and half-hearted implementation. By Gerard Horton In March 2013, UNICEF recommended that all children detained by the Israeli military in the West Bank must be given written information about their rights, including the right to silence and prompt access to…

By +972 Magazine May 2, 2015

Soldiers arresting youths in Nabi Saleh, 2013. (Yotam Ronen / Activestills).

A pretense of progress for children in Israel’s military courts

A new amendment requiring military authorities to videotape interrogations of Palestinian minors may seem like a step in the right direction. That is, until you read the fine print. By Gerard Horton Change has been afoot since UNICEF published a report finding that the ill treatment of children held in Israeli military detention “appears to…

By +972 Magazine November 4, 2014

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Soldiers arresting youths in Nabi Saleh, 2013 (Yotam Ronen / Activestills)

‘Despite reforms, IDF still mistreating Palestinian children’

Nearly two years after Israel said it would work to improve its treatment of the Palestinian children it detains, there have been a few small positive developments. But ill-treatment of Palestinian minors still appears to be ‘widespread, systematic and institutionalized,’ a report by Military Court Watch says. By Gerard Horton In September 2011, a delegation of nine…

By +972 Magazine September 1, 2014

Soldiers arresting youths in Nabi Saleh, 2013 (Yotam Ronen / Activestills)

Resource: Children in military custody – a progress report

Last year, a group of UK lawyers published a report, Children in Military Custody, reviewing how children are treated in Israel’s military court system taking into account both the legal framework and practice. Eighteen months later, Military Court Watch (MCW) has reviewed the report’s 40 recommendations and assessed whether they have been substantially or partially implemented, or not…

By +972 Resources December 7, 2013

A Palestinian child at a demonstration in the West Bank village of Ma'asara, November 2, 2013. (Photo: Activestills.org)

Assessing developments in Israel’s juvenile military courts

The Israeli military has implemented positive developments in its juvenile court system in recent years, and yet, regular allegations of serious abuses persist. A look at what has been done and what still needs to take place. By Gerard Horton Since the establishment of Israel’s military juvenile court in September 2009, there have been some…

By +972 Magazine December 7, 2013

IDF soldier arresting Palestinian child (Activestills)

Data shows worsening situation for children in Israeli military detention

A UNICEF report indicates a measurable deterioration in the treatment of Palestinian children held in Israeli military detention in the months since the UN organization recommended serious changes. By Gerard Horton In March 2013, UNICEF published a report – Children in Israeli Military Detention. The report’s main finding was that the ill-treatment of children who come in…

By +972 Magazine November 19, 2013

Israeli forces arrest a Palestinian youth in the village of al Walaja (Ryan Rodrick Beiler/Activestills.org)

Political solution or not, the bottom line is equal rights for all

The military law applied to Palestinians must provide rights and protections no less favorable than those afforded to Israeli citizens living in the settlements. By Gerard Horton Last month, Israeli housing minister Uri Ariel announced the approval of 1,200 more houses for settlers in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, adding to the 520,000 already living…

By +972 Magazine September 29, 2013

Sodier arresting child in Beit Omar, 2010 (Anne Paq / Activestills)

Resource: Unlawful discrimination: Two boys, two laws

Since 1967, Israel has issued 1,700 military orders and between 750,000-800,000 Palestinian men, women and children have been prosecuted in Israeli military courts and imprisoned. Technically speaking, Israeli military law applies to all persons in the West Bank, whether they be Palestinian or Israeli, but in practice civilian law is applied to the settlers, whereas…

By +972 Resources September 29, 2013