Dear friends across the Middle East and North Africa,

Nearly 200 Palestinian children are in Israeli military custody, facing traumatizing abuse. Multiple human rights violations have been documented by a UK investigation, but only a massive public outcry can persuade UK Foreign Secretary to stand behind the report and get the European Union to demand fair and humane treatment for jailed Palestinian children — sign nowand tell everyone!

Right now, nearly 200 Palestinian children are in Israeli military prisons, many snatched from their West Bank homes in terrifying midnight raids.

Kids as young as 12 are blindfolded, interrogated and abused, then tried in military courts — mostly for throwing stones at well-armed settlers or soldiers.

Palestinian children as young as 12 can be arrested and interrogated without a parent or lawyer present — and this can go on for up to 90 days! Children 

A recent report for the UK Foreign Office documents systemic violations of child detainees’ rights under international law.

The UK report’s recommendations are as basic as preventing children from being snatched from their homes in the middle of the night, making sure accusations are presented in the child’s language, and having a parent or guardian present during interrogations.

If enough of us appeal to Foreign Secretary William Hague, we can persuade him to follow through on this report and lead the European Union in pressing the Israeli government to end these outrages.

If we get behind recent official reports, we can stop hundreds more having their childhoods ripped from them.

Global pressure already forced Israel to establish a military youth court…

When 20,000 people sign, Avaaz will stage a protest in front of Hague’s office with the faces of child detainees, urging him to lead strong diplomatic action to end Israel’s abuse of Palestinian children once and for all. Sign now and send to all your friends:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/palestine_children_prisoners_e/?bFAfecb&v=18303

have spoken about being threatened by dogs and suffering lasting trauma. Human rights lawyers funded by William Hague’s office say Israel’s treatment of detained Palestinian children violates both the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Geneva Conventions.

Palestinian children are officially granted fewer rights before the law than Israeli children. And what rights they do have are routinely abused.

And if we appeal to William Hague’s office now, we can make sure he leads Europe in pressing Israel for lasting changes.

Israel’s ongoing illegal occupation and colonization of the West Bank lie at the root of this injustice, which subjects children to military trials and prison in a foreign country.

Let’s appeal to UK Foreign Secretary Hague to bring EU pressure to bear so that the recommendations his own office paid for are implemented — and that Israel stops stealing the childhood and dignity of Palestinian children. 

Since 2007, Avaaz members have supported a just resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, campaigning for an an end to settlements and the blockade in Gaza. Last year, more than one million people worldwide called on the United Nations to recognize a Palestinian State.

Together, we will keep pushing to end the occupation that has robbed so many Palestinian childhoods, and join our efforts for a peaceful future across the region.

Team: Stephanie, Rewan, Wissam, Mais, Nicholas, Raluca, Luis, Ricken, Mohammad and the whole Avaaz team

For more information:

Palestinian children ‘abused’ in Israeli jail (AlJazeera)
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2012/08/20128910267627456.html

Israel subjecting Palestinian children to ‘spiral of injustice’ (The Guardian)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jun/26/israel-palestinian-children-injustice 

Full report: UK investigation on the treatment of Palestinian children under Israeli military law
http://www.childreninmilitarycustody.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Children_in_Military_Custody_Full_Report.pdf

Breaking the silence (Defense for Children – Palestine)
http://www.dci-palestine.org/sites/default/files/detention_bulletin_august_2012.pdf 

Israel ‘breaching UN convention on children’s rights‘ (BBC)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-18608900

Palestinian children’s solitary confinement flayed (Oman Observer)
http://main.omanobserver.om/node/109080