“Israel” establishes special courts for Palestinian child detainees and the continuous siege on Gaza

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Posted by realistic bird under Politics Tags: child detainees, Gaza, Israeli crimes, Israeli policies, news, palestine, Palestinians, patients, Politics, prison, siege

Israel establishes special courts for Palestinian child detainees

by Saed Bannoura – IMEMC & Agencies

Tuesday August 25, 2009

The Israeli occupation Authorities announced the formation of special courts for Palestinian children detained by the Israeli Army in the occupied Palestinian Territories.

The decision is the first since Israel occupied the Palestinian territories 42 years ago.

Israeli sources reported that Brigadier general Gadi Shamni, GOC Central Command of the Israeli Army, had signed decision number 1644 ordering the establishment of a Military Court for the Youth. The court will be in charge of all cases against underage detainees.

According to the decision, judges who received special training in dealing with young detainees will be appointed by the head of the Israeli Court system.

Israel always interrogated and tried Palestinian children in ordinary interrogation facilities, and ordinary courts.

Imprisoned children are also held with adult detainees and even with Israeli prisoners who committed criminal offences.

Israel courts never gave special consideration for underage Palestinian political prisoners, and disregarded the fact that the vast majority of the “confessions” were extracted under torture and abuse.

Lawyer Khaled Quzmar, head of the Legal Unit at the Defense For Children International (DCI) – Palestine branch, said that the new military court is a late Israel confession of the failure of their legal system that prosecuted the children as adults.

Quzmar added that he does not expect fundamental changes that would end the bad treatment of the child detainees, and that the new court will most likely allow wide intervention from the Israeli Prosecution.

400 patients in ICU facing death due to ongoing siege

by Saed Bannoura – IMEMC

Tuesday August 25, 2009

The Palestinian Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip voiced an appeal to human rights groups and international heath organizations to intervene in order to allow the entry of medications and medical equipment into the Gaza Strip, especially as 400 patients are in critical conditions.

The Ministry added that it needs several medications and medical equipment, especially special liquids and formulas used in dialysis procedures.

It said that the patients in Gaza, especial those with heart conditions, cancer, kidney failure and other serious conditions are facing imminent death due to the ongoing Israeli siege while hospitals and medical centers lack the basic supplies and equipment.

Hundreds of medical machines are not functioning as the need spare parts not found in Gaza. The Ministry reported that some 400 patients are in Intensive Care Units in several hospitals; most of them have kidney failure, but the doctors are idled by the lack of specialized medications and functioning equipment. The Ministry demanded the international community to press Israel into opening the border terminals and allowing the entry of medical supplies and equipment. It also stated that hundreds of patients need to be urgently moved to hospitals outside the Gaza Strip.

IOA to establish special military courts for Palestinian minors