562 Palestinian minors arrested since Trump’s decision on Jerusalem

Some 562 Palestinian children have been arrested in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem in the three and a half months since US President Donald Trump announced his recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

According to figures released by the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs today, Israeli occupation forces have expanded their arbitrary arrests of Palestinian children over the past few years and have increased their frequency.

Twenty-fiver per cent of those arrested since Trump’s decision were minors, the organisation said.

“All international treaties and conventions have made the detention of children a last resort … although it may be necessary as an exception, it should be for the shortest period possible. The occupation authorities, however, use detention as a base and do so for as long as possible.”

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In addition, occupation authorities resort to the adoption of a set of laws that allow the detention of children and the imposition of harsh penalties against them, and use the judiciary and military courts as a tool to achieve its goals, according to the prisoners’ body.

Detained Palestinian children are subjected to physical and psychological torture, cruel treatment and other types of violations.

International bodies must work to protect Palestinian children and pressure the occupation to stop release the 350 minors it is currently holding.

On the 6 December, US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, causing widespread controversy and anger across the world. The announcement was nearly unanimously rejected by the international community and by Palestinians across the world.