US Democratic Congresswoman from Minnesota, Betty McCollum has introduced legislation that would require the US Secretary of State to certify that no part of the annual US military aid package to Israel is spent on detention of Palestinian children.

“This legislation highlights Israel’s system of military detention of Palestinian children and ensures that no American assistance to Israel supports human rights violations,” Congresswoman McCollum said.

“Peace can only be achieved by respecting human rights, especially the rights of children,” she continued. “Congress must not turn a blind eye the unjust and ongoing mistreatment of Palestinian children living under Israeli occupation.”

Palestinian children who are suspects in crimes and acts of terror and are not citizens of Israel are by default, processed in a military court system. Nevertheless, McCollum’s bill calls for Israel to instead use “a juvenile justice system in which Israeli authorities do not discriminate between the treatment of Israeli and Palestinian children.”

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