Thank you to the many constituents getting in touch regarding the treatment of Palestinian children.
As a rule, I do not support Early Day Motions as they often do not get debated and have no legislative effect.
I appreciate your concern for this issue, and will ensure that Ministers at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) are aware of the points you have raised.
I know
that the UK repeatedly calls on Israel to abide by its obligations under
international law and has a regular dialogue with Israel on legal issues
relating to the occupation, including the treatment of Palestinian
children. The UK continues to stress to the Israeli security forces the
importance of providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian
population, children
in particular, and of
restraint in the use of live fire.
I too
am concerned about Palestinian children detained in Israeli prisons and I know
that the UK Government shares these concerns. Reports of the heavy use of
painful restraints and the high number of Palestinian children who are not
informed of their legal rights, in contravention of Israel's own regulations,
are particularly concerning, as is, in violation of the Fourth Geneva
Convention, the continued transfer of Palestinian child and adult detainees to
prisons inside Israel.
I
am assured that the UK remains committed to working with Israel to secure
improvements to the practices surrounding children in detention and that our
Embassy in Tel Aviv is in regular dialogue with Israel on this issue. I welcome
that the UK also funds projects providing legal aid to minors and capacity
building to local lawyers.
It
is for reasons such as the above that Israel and the OPTs remain a human rights
priority for the FCDO, as documented in the most recent Human Rights and
Democracy Report last year. I am confident that the UK will continue to monitor
these issues closely and raise them with the relevant authorities where effective.
If you would like to discuss
this further or any other matter, then please do not hesitate to contact me.
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