An estimated
10,000 Palestinian children have been held in military detention over the past 20 years, with Save the Children noting that they are “the only children in the world who are systematically prosecuted in military courts.” As of Nov. 20, Israeli forces had arrested as many as
880 Palestinian children this year, a practice made possible under Israel’s draconian military laws.
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Parker says that whether included in the swap or not, many children face the threat of re-arrest because they are earmarked as a previous offender with suspended sentences, restricted freedom of movement, and decreased chance of being granted travel permits.
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“Under Israeli military law... throwing stones and objects is a specific offense under the military law,” says Parker, noting that this is the most common charge. He adds that this legislation empowers Israeli authorities to detain and prosecute any person over the age of 12 in the military court.
“It has less to do with kids throwing stones or not, and much more to do with targeting children and specific villages to facilitate the ultimate sort of goal of occupation, which is controlling a civilian population,” Parker adds.