AHED TAMIMI has become the face of the struggle for Palestinian human rights. Specifically the rights of Palestinian children.

In December 2017, she was arrested for slapping and shoving a soldier when heavily armed Israeli soldiers entered her family property without cause, 30 minutes after she saw her 15-year-old cousin shot in the head by another Israeli soldier.

Under a recent plea agreement in her case, Ahed has been sentenced to 8 months in prison. (In comparison, it is noteworthy that an Israeli soldier who was videotaped executing a prone and wounded Palestinian has had his sentence reduced to just 9 months in prison.) Ahed's boldness and stoic bravery under Israeli persecution during this ordeal and throughout her young life have inspired millions throughout the world.

The most important part of this story that has made global headlines? Like Ahed, every year hundreds of Palestinian children living under the Israeli occupation are arrested, charged and tried under Israeli military law – a justice system that is rife with human rights violations and has a nearly 100% conviction rate.

TAKE ACTION:
Click to send a message to your Representative in the House about the bill "Promoting Human Rights by Ending Israeli Military Detention of Palestinian Children" (HR 4391).

RELATED NEWS: In an nighttime raid in February 2018, Israeli Defense Forces arrested another Tamimi child: Mohammed Tamimi, Ahed's cousin whose skull had been shattered back in December by an Israeli rubber-coated steel bullet, and who was awaiting further surgery.
    After being released, he reported that he was beaten by the soldiers and forced to "confess" that he had not been shot, but rather had fallen off his bicycle! The Israelis then publicized this statement, in glaring contradiction of his medical records and the eyewitness reports, an attempt to counteract the global outcry about that shooting and the subsequent arrest of Ahed, her mother, and a female cousin.

Palestinian children of all ages are regularly confronted and harassed by Israeli soldiers. Children from the age of 12 and up can be prosecuted in the Israeli court system.

Nearly 3 out of 4 of these children experience physical violence at the hands of Israeli soldiers, typically being slapped, punched, kicked, or struck with a rifle or helmet.
    60% or more are strip searched.

97% are denied access to their parents or family members.

80% or more of these child prisoners are NOT told of their right to remain silent.
They are also denied access to an attorney when interrogated, seeing one for the first time when they arrive at their military court hearing.

75% are told to sign documents in Hebrew, which they cannot read.

The United States gives billions in military aid to Israel every year (over $10 million per day) - more than to any other country in the world, and U.S. law prohibits using that aid for human rights violations.

  There is a bill currently in the U.S. Congress calling for investigation of these egregious and systemic violations of Palestinian children’s essential human rights. And it is supported by 22 members in the House.  If we all keep working together on this, we should be able get more congressional support.

Keep the momentum going: thousands of church advocates and our partners are taking action for Palestinian children this month...

Of the hundreds of minors arrested every year, 50% or more are taken during terrifying night raids on their homes.
    This widespread practice terrorizes the entire occupied population throughout the year.

Most children are bound and blindfolded when arrested. Neither they nor their families are told where they will be taken.   
    They are often moved to Israel, outside of the occupied territory in which they live, in violation of the international law.  Palestinian parents often have little or no access to their children after their are arrested.

Most kids are charged with throwing stones, a crime punishable by months or years in prison for Palestinian children.
    During interrogation, terrified children are threatened with physical or sexual abuse or reprisals against their family.

UMKR is an international grassroots peace movement of laity and clergy in the United Methodist Church. We are responding to the Palestinian Christians’ urgent call, in Kairos Palestine: A Moment of Truth, for effective action to end the Israeli occupation and achieve a just peace in the Holy Land. UMKR seeks – through nonviolent action and in partnership with our Palestinian sisters and brothers in Christ – freedom, justice and equality for all Palestinians and Israelis.  Learn more about UMKR

You have received this email because you have taken action with UMKR in the past or have signed up for our news and action.

If you would like to Unsubscribe or make any other changes in your subscription, just click "Manage Subscription" below.

Our email address: info@kairosresponse.org
Our website: www.kairosresponse.org
Mailing address, general correspondence:
Rev. John Wagner, 120 South Broad Street,
Middletown, OH 45044
Mailing address, donations and financial:
William P. Aldrich, 42 Gaspee Point Drive,
Warwick, RI 02888
Please make checks payable to our fiscal agent:
Open Table of Christ UMC.
Write on the memo line: UMKR