Urge Congress to prohibit US funds from being used to abuse Palestinian children

H.R. 2407, the Promoting Human Rights for Palestinian Children Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act, was introduced by Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN) on April 30, 2019. 

As an amendment to the Leahy Law (fundamental U.S. human rights legislation to prevent U.S. complicity in human rights atrocities), H.R. 2407 creates an accountability mechanism to prohibit U.S. funds from being used for the “military detention, interrogation, abuse, or ill-treatment” of children anywhere. It also authorizes the appropriation of funds to monitor human rights abuses and to provide physical, psychological, and emotional rehabilitation to Palestinian child victims of Israel’s military detention system.

The bill aims to end U.S. funding for Israeli abuses of Palestinian children’s rights and lays the groundwork for achieving justice for Palestinian child victims of Israel’s military detention system.

In the words of Rep. Betty McCollum, the legislation’s lead sponsor, “Peace can only be achieved by respecting human rights, especially the rights of children. Congress must not turn a blind eye to the unjust and ongoing mistreatment of Palestinian children living under Israeli occupation.”