Captured by Israel, Palestinian Children Held Outdoors in the Cold

Kids held for stone throwing, released without explanation

Israeli media outlet Haaretz offered a troubling look at the treatment of Palestinian civilians, children no less, by the Israeli military in the occupied West Bank.

They tell the story of a 12-year-old boy from the village of Zawiya, and his 11-year-old friend. Israeli troops raided the village at 10 pm over reports of rock throwing.

Troops warned 12-year-old Yasser that if he didn’t confess they would “take” him. He confessed, they took him anyway. They went to his friend Yazen’s house and took him too, along with his father.

They were all taken, without a warrant to a police station, and made to wait outside in the cold for hours. At 2:30 AM the detainees were taken to a military base, and put in a trailer.

That’s where they spent the night, and the next afternoon, at 2:30 PM, they were ordered to go home. No charges were filed, and its not clear if they consider the  matter resolved.

Israel still treats the West Bank as under military occupation, and capturing children in warrant-less raids is an all-too-common matter.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.