What should U.S. tax revenue be used for? Safety net programs, education, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment of Palestinian children? Wait, that last one seems a little odd to be in the realm of possibility. Unfortunately, our tax dollars are being used for just that in the military aid (a whopping $38 billion package deal finalized in September of 2016) we provide to Israel.
Abuses of Palestinian children are documented in a report by UNICEF titled “Children in Israeli Military Detention” and in “No Way to Treat a Child” by the Defense for Children International Palestine. Horrifying accounts are reported of the Israeli military arresting and taking children out of their homes in the middle of the night and children being threatened with physical violence, solitary confinement, and sexual assault during interrogations. These interrogations being done the majority of the time without a lawyer or an adult family member present.
H.B. 4391: Promoting Human Rights by Ending Israeli Military Detention of Palestinian Children Act was introduced to combat these terrible acts and to make sure that military aid provided to Israel does not go towards abusing children. Contact your representative to urge them to support this bill.
Michael Westbrook, Herriman
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