'Release Palestinian Children' - Irish MEP

A prominent Irish MEP has called for the release of 300 Palestinian children, which he says are currently being held in Israeli jails.

Labour Member of the European Parliament, Proinsias De Rossa, said during a discussion on the situation of Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails called for the "immediate release" of 300 Palestinian minors and the phased release of more than 6,000 other Palestinians.

Mr De Rossa said that some of those being held were as young as 12 years of age.

Speaking on Tuesday at the hearing on Palestinian Prisoners by the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights, Mr De Rossa said: “Since the 1967 war and the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza by Israel, some 750,000 Palestinians, including 13,000 women and 25,000 children have passed through Israeli jails.

“The conviction of minors before military courts and their jailing, usually for alleged stone-throwing, is an unacceptable practice by a democratic state and is in breach of the Geneva Conventions."

Mr De Rossa said that in a recent report by Defence for Children International (DCI), it was pointed out that 27% of the child detainees were forced to sign confessions in Hebrew, despite their first tongue being Arabic.

Mr De Rossa added that the report found 58% were held in prisons inside Israel in violation of the Geneva convention and that 43% were not adequately separated from adult detainees. The report also found that 55% of the child prisoners complained of inadequate food, water, and shelter.

The EU Parliament's Sub-Committee on Human Rights is hearing submissions of evidence as it reviews prison conditions in Israel. DCI have entered their submission including evidence that children held in the Al Jalame Interrogation and Detention Centre near Haifa, are routinely subjected to serious mistreatment, including position abuse, sleep depravation and solitary confinement.

Mr De Rossa added that he also wanted to place on record his "abhorrence" at the brutal murder of the Israeli Fogel family in the Itamar Settlement, during which five members of the family were slaughtered in their beds by Palestinians.

Mr Bell said he welcomed the strong condemnation of the murders by Palestinian President Abbas on behalf of his people.

"The illegality of settlements does not in any way justify such a heinous crime, nor will extending such illegal settlements bring the peace which the vast majority of Israelis and Palestinians desire,” Mr Bell said.

(DW/KMcA)