Israel would be banned from using US aid to detain and torture Palestinian children if a new bill becomes law.
The Promoting Human Rights for Palestinian Children Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act was brought before the US Congress on Wednesday by Betty McCollum, an elected representative for Minnesota.
McCollum introduced a similar bill in 2017, the first in US history that called for accountability and transparency for aid to Israel.
I just introduced H.R. 2407, the Promoting Human Rights for Palestinian Children Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act, to prohibit funding for the military detention of children in any country, including Israel. https://t.co/5UkSnNTs5H
— Rep. Betty McCollum (@BettyMcCollum04) May 1, 2019
The abuse of Palestinian children “is perpetrated not only with intent, but systematically applied to intimidate, control, and create fear amongst families, communities and an entire population,” McCollum stated on Wednesday.
If approved, the new bill, HR 2407, would amend a section of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, known as the Leahy Law, which prohibits the US government from funding foreign armed forces when there is credible information implicating such forces in gross violations of human rights. New provisions would be added, limiting US military aid from being used to abuse, torture, detain and interrogate children in violation of international law.
The legislation would also authorize the release of at least $19 million per year to monitor human rights abuses of Palestinian children and to provide treatment and rehabilitation for child victims of military detention, abuse and torture.
McCollum explained that the act “gives my congressional colleagues a clear choice – support human rights for Palestinian children and their families or support perpetuating the occupation and repression in the name of Israel’s security.”’
Read more: New push to stop US funding torture of Palestinian children
[sub-banner]
