This is what I would regard as a “no-brainer”:
Members of the US Congress introduced the "first-ever" bill that seeks to promote the rights of Palestinian children living under Israeli military occupation.
Introduced on Tuesday by Betty McCollum, a Democrat and US Representative from Minnesota, the bill has at least nine co-sponsors and seeks to prohibit US funding that facilitates human rights abuses that impact Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
The obvious logic behind this, is that no children should be abused, and thus since Palestinian children are children, then Palestinian children should not be abused (and therefore, this bill should be supported). Yes, we all know, all too well, how contentious the general topic of I/P is, but this bill ought to be something that we can all agree on (goddammit...)
And, those 9 co-sponsors are-
Introduced by Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN), the act is jointly support by original co-sponsors Representatives Mark Pocan (D-WI), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), André Carson (IN-D), John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), Danny K. Davis (D- IL), Peter A. DeFazio (D-OR), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Luis V. Gutiérrez (D-IL), and Chellie Pingree (D-ME).
I.e., all Democrats… So when I see this, I think, “This makes me proud to be affiliated with this party.” And if I’m thinking this, then there’s a fair chance that others are thinking this way, as well.
I’ve always favored the Democratic party. But lately, our opponents have reached levels of loathsomeness beyond anything I could have ever even previously imagined. I remember thinking during the W era, how he was so inept, that he made his father seem like Churchill… And now, comparing W with who’s currently in office… it’s like a grotesque, exponential decay. So the urge to bash our adversaries has become practically irresistible (and I won’t deny that I’ve done a fair bit of this myself), but I feel it’s important to bear in mind that winning popular support is a matter of not only showing how mightily our opponents suck, but also, how spectacularly awesome our side is. And being the party that champions ethical foreign policy and human rights, can distinguish us from the Republicans in a magnificently positive way, thus leading to “more & better Dems”.
So, you may say to me- “Sandra, I’m really sick of hearing about this.”
And I say back to you- “Actually, this is directly related to the primary mission of this blog.”
But, again from the Al Jazeera article I linked to in the beginning of this diary…
In order to become law, the bill would first have to pass the House of Representatives and then be introduced and passed in the Senate.
While that is unlikely to happen, the bill's supporters hail its introduction as a positive development and an attempt to change public opinion on Israel and Palestine.
Oh darn… so in spite of the unquestionable no-brainer that this is, they don’t think it will pass! I find this to be rather disappointing, because I would prefer for these abuses to not happen. Well, perhaps if we all speak out in favor of this bill, that might help? So, here- I’ll give you two petitions to choose from: this stellar one from CODEPINK-
As a constituent, I urge you to support the Promoting Human Rights by Ending Israeli Military Detention of Palestinian Children Act.
This bill would prohibit Israel from using any US funds for the military detention, interrogation, abuse, or ill-treatment of Palestinian children.
Israel is the only country in the world that subjects children to a military court system. Their segregated and unequal system applies only to Palestinian, not Israeli, children. The conviction rate in Israeli military court is 99.74%.
Please support this important bill.
or this equally stellar one from the American Friends Service Committee-
I am writing to ask you to support the "Promoting Human Rights by Ending Israeli Military Detention of Palestinian Children Act" which seeks to promote justice, equality, and human rights in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory.
This bill seeks to ensure that U.S. taxpayer funds are not being used to support grave human rights violations against Palestinian children detained by Israeli forces. It is an effort to enhance transparency and demand that Israeli forces comply with international law. By aligning U.S. policy toward Israel and the Palestinian people with international law norms, the bill would help increase protections for children and work to end grave human rights violations against Palestinian children detained by Israeli forces.
Children under 18 years old now represent nearly half of the 2.7 million Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank.
Instead of growing up with a law-based, negotiated settlement founded on universal human rights principles, justice, and respect for human dignity, Palestinian youth have had their futures stifled and suppressed by systemic discrimination, settlement expansion, and a military occupation with no end in sight where impunity is the norm.
Israel has the dubious distinction of being the only country in the world that systematically prosecutes between 500 and 700 children each year in military courts that lack fundamental fair trial rights and protections.
Children within the Israeli military detention system commonly report physical and verbal abuse from the moment of their arrest, and coercion and threats during interrogations. Under Israeli military law, Palestinian children have no right to a lawyer during interrogation.
Ill-treatment of Palestinian children arrested by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank has been widely documented by reliable international organizations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and UNICEF. Your support is needed to ensure accountability and change.
Please support this bill.