In arguably the strongest signal Congress has ever sent in support for Palestinian human rights, 19 members of Congress sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry urging the Department of State to make the human rights of Palestinian children a priority in the U.S. bilateral relationship with Israel. The letter was led by Rep. Betty McCollum (MN) and the letter’s other signatories include both co-chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and members serving on the Armed Services Committee, the Select Committee on Intelligence, the Appropriations Committee, and the Ways and Means Committee.
These 19 members of Congress call on the Department of State to “elevate the human rights of Palestinian children to a priority status in our bilateral relationship with the Government of Israel.” And note that they “fully expect the State Department to address the status of Israel’s military detention system’s treatment of Palestinian children in its annual human rights report.”
Rep. Betty McCollum makes it clear that this letter is intended to result in decisive action. In the Congresswoman’s own words: “Israel’s military detention of Palestinian children is an indefensible abuse of human rights. I hope this letter results in State Department pressure on the Government of Israel to end this systemic abuse immediately. Palestinian children should be treated exactly the same as Israeli or American children, without the fear that one day soldiers will arrest them, beat them, and lock them away in prison.”
Human Rights and Faith Groups Advocate for Letter
The groups advocating in support of the letter include: American Friends Service Committee, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Defense for Children International-Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace, the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, Amnesty International USA, Pax Christi USA, and Churches for Middle East Peace.
As the JTA reported, while J Street did not actively mobilize around the letter, they “signaled support for its signing when the group’s position was solicited by lawmakers.”
Amnesty International highlighted for advocates the stark contrast between the two separate and unequal legal systems in play that is so foundational in Israel’s military occupation: “While Palestinian children and adults face Israeli military courts, Israeli settlers benefit from Israeli civil law,” Sunjeev Bery, Amnesty International’s Advocacy Director for the Middle East and North Africa noted. “Israel gives settlers a different system of justice — even though they are living illegally in the very same occupied Palestinian territories.”
The letter comes just weeks after the launch of the “No Way to Treat a Child,” campaign led by the Chicago Faith Coalition on Middle East Policy, American Friends Service Committee, Defense for Children International Palestine, and supported by various Christian, Jewish, and Muslim organizations. The campaign kicked off with an interfaith vigil held at the U.S. Capitol on June 1st, the International Day for the Protection of a Child.
The following day the American Friends Service Committee hosted a congressional briefing on child detention in Israel-Palestine. Congressman Keith Ellison (MN) introduced the briefing, and was followed by remarks from various human rights experts. Tariq Abu Khdeir presented on his experience as a Palestinian-American brutally beaten by Israeli police and subsequently detained when he traveled to Israel-Palestine for the memorial service of his cousin Mohammed Abu Khdeir, who was burned alive by Israeli settlers.
In addition to Rep. McCollum, the following 18 members of Congress also joined this initiative:
Blumenauer, Earl (OR-3)
Beyer, Don (VA-8)
Carson, André (IN-7)
Conyers, John (MI-13)
Davis, Danny (IL-7)
DeFazio, Peter (OR-4)
Ellison, Keith (MN-5)
Eshoo, Anna G. (CA-18)
Grijalva, Raúl M. (AZ-3)
Johnson, Eddie Bernice (TX-30)
Johnson, Hank (GA-4)
Lee, Barbara (CA-13)
McDermott, Jim (WA-7)
McGovern, James P. (MA-2)
Norton, Eleanor Holmes (DC)
Pingree, Chellie (ME-1)
Rush, Bobby (IL-1)
Waters, Maxine (CA-43)
I guess Israel’s new Justice Minister is going to have to give Congress the facts on herpetology.
AIPAC /Adelson and co will have to form another Co -Mitty to fight anti semite congress critters.This s–t has to be nipped in the bud before it spreads and nullifys Israel,s life sustaining hold on Congress.
Life is getting very tough for these guys. Adelson will have to reduce the odds in his gambling empire and AIPAC will have to up the subscription for members.
The King of the Jews will have to start collecting more taxes from his subjects if his kingdom is to survive.Send in the royalists and off with the heads of those who do not bow to the king,s demands.
Great work!!!
Speaking of Tariq Abu Khdeir, even with this political cover, his Rep, Kathy Castor, couldn’t bring herself to be even slightly supportive of her brutally beaten constituent, and sign the damn letter.
What an ongoing disgrace she is.
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/5589553
And J Street also seems to have an ongoing issue with publicly supporting the obvious and most fundamental right thing to do. Worthless, especially and dangerously when given the role as acceptability-decider as they seem to have been given in this effort.
Does timid, private assent give them the zero-cost option to change their minds later?
This is almost shocking to say the least. Finally we have a small group of spunky Congress people, who is risking the wrath of the zionists and their lobbies, to support the helpless children of Palestine. Something that should have been done years ago by the entire Congress.
Good luck to all who are trying to be help those who are voiceless and defenseless, and who are ignored by the rest.
I see several of the “usual suspects” on that list and am pleased that Conyers signed since he’s from my neck of the woods.
“As the JTA reported, while J Street did not actively mobilize around the letter, they “signaled support for its signing when the group’s position was solicited by lawmakers.”
I think some of the saner pro-Israel folk realize that Butcher Bibi is not doing his country any favors by refusing to acknowledge ANY abuse. And his statements on election day did not help either. I think our representatives decided to tackle the issue of children in detention because they believe it a “softer” subject than collective punishment or settlements.
Nevertheless that is a very small list and shows what a bunch of cowards most of them are.