Shadi Khoury, Ramallah Friends School Photo
Each year approximately 500-700 Palestinian children, some as young as 12 years old, are detained and prosecuted in the Israeli military court system. Israel is the only country in the world that tries minors in military courts in violation of human rights standards.
I would like to summarize the story of Shadi Khoury, as told by his mother, Rania Ellias, and his grandmother, Samia Khoury, because it describes the typical brutality inflicted on Palestinian children in military court system and detention.
Shadi was seized from his family’s home in Jerusalem in the early morning hours of October18, 2022 at the age of 16. The armed Israeli forces stormed his home, beat and dragged Shadi while handcuffed, blindfolded, barefoot, and wearing only his pajamas. He was placed in detention and interrogated for 41 days. During interrogation, he was subjected to repeated beatings, lost consciousness three times, suffered a broken nose, and was subjected to threats.
After 41 days in detention, Shadi was placed under strict house arrest for an entire year. He was denied unrestricted access to school, forbidden from playing outside, and subjected to constant surveillance. Accused of attending a protest, Shadi has never confessed to any wrongdoing and endured 41 court sessions spanning three years of legal persecution,
“epitomizing a system that instrumentalizes law as a tool of political repression.”
On Sunday, May 21, 2023, Shadi had the first of a series court hearings. The prosecution brought in a 15-year-old named Bara’ who had told his interrogators that Shadi was part of a demonstration October 12, 2022. But at this hearing, Bara’ denied any prior knowledge of Shadi, withdrew his previous confession to police, and testified that the Israeli interrogators coerced him into confessing against Shadi. He testified that he was under psychological and physical torture and verbally abused.
On the 15th of February, the court issued its decision. Shadi was sentenced to 2 years and 8 months (32 months) (6 months suspended) in prison in addition to a 12,000 NIS ($3,869) fine. He is expected to begin serving the sentence on March 29th.
I only add to this story that in a recently released report from B’Tselem, the Israeli Information for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, states that “Israeli prisons continue to function as a network of torture camps for Palestinians, with the systematic abuse even more extensive than before. This includes physical and psychological abuse, inhuman conditions, deliberate starvation and denial of medical care, all of which has led to numerous deaths. Some witnesses also described undergoing or witnessing sexual violence and abuse. The transformation of prisons into a network of torture camps is part of the Israeli regime’s coordinated onslaught on Palestinian society, aimed at dismantling the Palestinian collective.” Living Hell, The Israeli Prison System as a Network of Torture Camps.
Shadi’s family continues to explore legal possibilities of an appeal to overturn this injustice. They ask us to advocate on his behalf with our congressional representatives. Ask them to examine the case and exert pressure on Israel to reverse this grave injustice. You can write to your representatives here.
We can also take action to end U.S. complicity in the violence against Palestinian children and their families. Representative Betty McCollum has recently reintroduced the Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act (read bill text here). This legislation would prohibit Israel’s government from using U.S. taxpayer dollars in the Occupied West Bank for the military detention, abuse, or ill treatment of Palestinian children in Israeli military detention; the seizure and destruction of Palestinian property and homes in violation of international humanitarian law; or any assistance or support for unilateral annexation of Palestinian lands in violation of international humanitarian law. You and call or write to congressional representatives here.
You can read more of Shadi’s story and his family here:
Update on the arrest of Shadi Khoury, grandson of Samia Khoury, Israel-Palestine News.
Justice for Shadi Khoury and all Palestinian children, American Friends Service Committee.
Why Israel persecutes children like my son Shadi, The Electronic Intifada.