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EP body condemns arrest of Palestinian children by Israeli military

BRUSSELS, Nov 20 (KUNA) -- The Chair of the European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with Palestine, Neoklis Sylikiotis, on Tuesday condemned the arrest and torture of Palestinian children by Israeli forces.
"On Universal Children's Day, we express our deep concern that scores of children continue to be arbitrarily arrested, tortured and detained without trial in the Occupied Palestinian Territories," he said in a statement.
Since 2000, at least 8,000 Palestinian children have been arrested and prosecuted in Israel's military detention system, which is notorious for the systematic ill-treatment and torture of children, he noted.
Hundreds of Palestinian minors, some as young as 12, are held in Israeli prisons as security detainees and prisoners each year, mostly charged with stone throwing or posting messages on social media.
In 2018, 14 children spent time in solitary confinement in Israeli military prisons.
"Our delegation expresses solidarity with the individuals and organisations who are fighting to protect the rights of children in Palestine," he said.
Sylikiotis called upon the European Commission, the European External Action Service and the EU Member States to put pressure on Israel to abide by its international obligations as an occupying power. (end) nk.ibi