Israel continues abusing Palestinians

The United Nations Children™s Fund, UNICEF, says Israeli forces continue their mistreatment of Palestinian youths during detention.

The UNICEF released a report on Monday, saying that œviolations are ongoing,” seven months after an initial report underlined widespread mistreatment of Palestinian teenagers arrested by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank.

The international body cited about 20 sample cases of abuse of youths in the West Bank in the second quarter of this year.

The inmates – all male – suffered physical violence such as kicking, slapping and beating. In 17 cases, the detainees were also verbally abused.

œThe monthly average for 2013 shows that 219 children per month were in Israeli military custody, compared to 196 per month in 2012, marking a 12 percent increase,” the UNICEF stated.

In March, the UNICEF released an initial report, saying the Tel Aviv regime used œcruel, inhuman and degrading” practices in dealing with Palestinian youths.

œIll-treatment of Palestinian children in the Israeli military detention system appears to be widespread, systematic and institutionalized,” the report added.

Some 7,000 Palestinian children, aged between 12 and 17, have been arrested, interrogated and prosecuted by Israeli forces, the initial 22-page-report said, adding that the majority of them were boys.

SAB/HSN