[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA

When I read this I could only conclude that attorney Yael Stein of B'Tselem
doesn't follow the news in Israel:

"These incidents constitute a most severe breach of minors' human rights,"
attorney Yael Stein of B'Tselem wrote to Jerusalem District Commander Aharon
Franco.
"A military-like crackdown in the middle of the night to interrogate 12- to
14-year-old children on suspicions of throwing stones runs contrary to all
reason, and cannot be justified. It's hard to imagine the security forces
taking such measures against Jewish minors," she wrote, accusing police of
breaking the law governing treatment of youth.

#1. The arrests she is describing match exactly what the Israeli
authorities have done numerous times in detaining Jewish kids in the
"occupied territories" - and elsewhere when carrying out the arrests could
be a problem.

#2. The arrests are carried out in the middle of the night to avoid a clash
in the neighborhood. Would attorney Yael Stein of B'Tselem prefer that
every arrest carry with it the "cost" of a riot? Or would attorney Yael
Stein of B'Tselem argue then that it isn't worth the cost of a riot to
prosecute the stone throwers.

Or perhaps, does attorney Yael Stein of B'Tselem not think that stone
throwing is something that should even be prosecuted? Maybe attorney Yael
Stein of B'Tselem thinks that stone throwing is simply another form of
"nonviolent protest"?

And how about this:

Parents who try to argue or block their children's arrest are treated
harshly or attacked, said Jaballah Rajabi, many of whose family members have
been arrested.

"I tried to talk to them and they hit me, sprayed me with gas. Fifty of them
come for every child. This isn't police, it's a mafia," he said.

So Jaballah Rajabi tried to stop the police from arresting his stone
throwing kids.

And the cops didn't let him stop them.

Here some advice for Jaballah Rajabi : don't try to stop cops from making
an arrest.

And that's not because you are an Arab. If you try to stop a cop from
making an arrest anywhere in Israel the cops are going to get physical.]

.
================

Israel using strong arm tactics against young Palestinian stone-throwers

By Nir Hasson, Haaretz Correspondent Last update - 09:42 09/03/2010
www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1155105.html

Several children in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan were arrested
and taken from their homes in handcuffs in the middle of the night over the
past few months, as part of a police crackdown on suspected stone-throwers,
several teenage residents told B'Tselem and Haaretz.

Haaretz and B'Tselem, the Israel Information Center for Human Rights in the
Occupied Territories, collected testimonies from several teens that suggest
the police are treating them violently and violating their rights.

"They told me to get down on my knees and slapped and kicked me, one from
behind and one from the front," a 15-year-old told B'Tselem.

A large Border Police force has been raiding Palestinian homes at night,
targeting mostly children aged 12 to 15.

Most of the children and teenagers living near near the two controversial
residential buildings inhabited by Jewish settlers in Silwan - Beit Yonatan
and Beit Hadvash - have been arrested at least once.

The police and Border Police activity follows complaints by the Jewish
residents of the two buildings and by the guards hired by the Housing
Ministry to protect them.

They say there has been an increase in children throwing stones at their
houses and cars.

"The interrogator kept asking me the same question for an hour and every
time I denied it, he swore. He swore at my mother and sister. He slapped me
and wouldn't let me go to the toilet or have a drink of water," a
14-year-old told B'Tselem.

Another child said he was seated facing the wall and was beaten every time
he turned his head.

Parents allegedly mistreated

Parents who try to argue or block their children's arrest are treated
harshly or attacked, said Jaballah Rajabi, many of whose family members have
been arrested.

"I tried to talk to them and they hit me, sprayed me with gas. Fifty of them
come for every child. This isn't police, it's a mafia," he said.

"These incidents constitute a most severe breach of minors' human rights,"
attorney Yael Stein of B'Tselem wrote to Jerusalem District Commander Aharon
Franco.
"A military-like crackdown in the middle of the night to interrogate 12- to
14-year-old children on suspicions of throwing stones runs contrary to all
reason, and cannot be justified. It's hard to imagine the security forces
taking such measures against Jewish minors," she wrote, accusing police of
breaking the law governing treatment of youth.

The Jerusalem Police denied using violent measures and said the arrests and
interrogations were carried out lawfully.

"Following increasing incidents of stone-throwing at cars, Border Police and
Jewish houses in the Silwan area, causing damage to people and property,
Arab minors suspected of throwing stones were arrested," a police spokesman
said.

"Some of the minors had their remands extended by the court, and others were
released on certain conditions. All the suspects against whom we have
evidence will be brought to trial," he said.