Question and answer in Dutch parliament
October 31, 2014
In preparation for the budgetary debate the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs asked a question regarding Palestinian children in Israeli detention.
Question 165
Is it true that also in September 2014 hundreds of Palestinian children were held in Israeli custody without applying basic legal rules? If no, what are the facts? Is it also true that 47 percent of these children are detained within Israel against the rules of the Fourth Geneva convention. If no, what are the facts? How does the Dutch government bring these ongoing violations of the rights of Palestinian children to the attention of the Israeli authorities?
Answer of the Cabinet:
As of August 31, 2014 there were, according to the latest figures from the Israel Prison Authority, 201 minor Palestinians in Israeli detention, of which 47% in facilities in Israel. The Israeli government has in recent years made some changes with regard to the conditions in which Palestinian children are being arrested and detained by Israel. At the same time there is still much room for improvement. The government will continue to emphasize the position of Palestinian minors in Israeli detention in bilateral contacts with Israel and jointly at EU level. Additionally the Netherlands supports NGOs working for the rights of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention.