Recently various Representatives of Congress, including Delgado and Maloney, signed an open letter supporting the unconditional $3.8 Billion yearly aid to Israel, despite Israel’s flagrant human rights violations. There is a better choice.
H.R. 2590, “The Palestinian Children and Families Act,” seeks to promote justice, equality and human rights by ensuring no U.S. tax dollars fund the Israeli military’s imprisonment of Palestinian children; demolition of Palestinian homes; and further confiscation of Palestinian land in the Israeli-occupied West Bank in violation of international law. Rep. Betty McCollum introduced the bill by asserting “U.S. assistance intended for Israel’s security must never be used to violate the human rights of Palestinian children.”
Each year Israel prosecutes 500 to 700 Palestinian children under 18 in military courts that lack fundamental fair trial rights and protections. Ill-treatment during detention is the norm according to UNICEF. Minors are bound, blindfolded and sometimes beaten when arrested, and not allowed to have a lawyer or parent present during interrogation, where abuse and coerced confessions are common. They’re held in prison from arrest until completing their sentence with no bail. Harsh treatment often leads to long-term trauma. See -> https://nwttac.dci-palestine.org.
Recently Human Rights Watch and B’Tselem, an Israeli human rights group - have documented Israel’s apartheid government, which includes the domination of Jewish Israelis over Palestinians coupled with systematic oppression and inhumane acts.