Congresswoman Betty McCollum has introduced the Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act to prohibit Israel from using U.S. taxpayer dollars on the military detention, abuse, or ill-treatment of Palestinian children in Israeli military detention; to support the seizure and destruction of Palestinian property and homes in violation of international humanitarian law; or on any support or assistance for Israel’s unilateral annexation of Palestinian territory in violation of international humanitarian law.
Read Rep. McCollum’s full statement on the introduction of the bill here.
The Problem
Millions of Palestinians have lived their entire lives under the systemic oppression of Israel’s military occupation.
- The Government of Israel and its military detains around 500 to 700 Palestinian children between the ages of 12 and 17 each year and prosecutes them before a military court system that lacks basic and fundamental guarantees of due process in violation of international standards.
- The United Nations Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported in March 2023 that 58 schools in the West Bank, which are attended by 6,500 children, are subject to demolition orders issued by Israeli authorities.
- OCHA reported between April 15, 2021 and March 30, 2023, Israeli authorities demolished or seized 1,840 Palestinian structures across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, resulting in the displacement of 2,170 people, including 1,104 Palestinian children.
Israel is a U.S. ally and for the past 25 years, Congress has focused on providing Israel security funding while passing resolutions supporting a two-state solution. During this time, Israel has been strategically expanding settlements, committing flagrant violations of human rights against Palestinian children and families, and aggressively undermining any prospects for a Palestinian state.
U.S. assistance intended for Israel’s security should foster peace and must never be used to violate the human rights of children, demolish the homes of Palestinian families, or to permanently annex Palestinian lands.
The Legislation
The Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act prohibits U.S. taxpayer funding to the Government of Israel from being used for 1) the military detention, abuse, or ill-treatment of Palestinian children in Israeli military detention; 2) supporting the seizure and destruction of Palestinian property and homes in violation of international humanitarian law; and, 3) any support or assistance for Israel’s unilateral annexation of Palestinian territory in violation of international humanitarian law.
The Secretary of State is required to certify annually to Congress that foreign aid to Israel does not violate any of the outlined prohibited uses.
The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to submit an annual report to Congress detailing the expenditure of U.S. taxpayer funds by Israel for “off-shore procurement” and compliance with Congressionally mandated requirements. The goal of this provision is transparency and accountability for the expenditure of U.S. foreign aid, as we do with all countries.
Cosponsors
Joining Rep. McCollum as Original Cosponsors are: Rep. Don Beyer (VA-08), Rep. Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-13), Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (NJ-10, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Rep. Raúl Grijalva (AZ-03), Rep. Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02), Rep. Cori Bush (MO-01), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (IL-04), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Barbara Lee (CA-12), Rep. Summer Lee (PA-12), Rep. Dwight Evans (PA-03).
Supporting Organizations (75+)
Defense for Children International – Palestine
Human Rights Watch
Amnesty International USA
J Street
Oxfam America
American Friends Service Committee
Minnesota Peace Project
Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association
Demand Progress
CODEPINK
ReThinking Foreign Policy
RootsAction.org
Peace Action
Cafe Palestina
MPower Change Action Fund
Adalah Justice Project
Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR-USA)
Muslim Peace Fellowship
Jewish Voice for Peace Action
Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine
Disciples Palestine Israel Network
Episcopal Peace Fellowship-Palestine Israel Network
Delawareans for Palestinian Human Rights
Citizens for Justice in the Middle East—Kansas City
Committee for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel
New Hampshire Veterans for Peace
Progressive Democrats of America
Palestine TaskForce of the California Nevada Conference of the United Methodist Church
United Church of Christ Palestine Israel Network
Indiana Center for Middle East Peace
Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association
Center for Jewish Nonviolence
San Jose State University
Partners for Palestine
The Israel/Palestine Mission Network of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Virginia Coalition for Human Rights (VCHR)
Washington Advocates for Palestinian Rights
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
The United Methodist Church—General Board of Church and Society
Churches for Middle East Peace
Northfielders for Justice in Palestine/Israel
Friends of Wadi Foquin
Pax Christi USA
Migrant Roots Media
Colorado Coalition For Palestine
Al-Bireh Society
Bishop’s Committee for Justice and Peace in the Holy Land, Episcopal Diocese of Olympia
Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace
United Methodists for Kairos Response (UMKR)
American Federation of Ramallah, Palestine (AFRP)
Middle East Peace Now
Justice Democrats
Working Families Party
Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ)
Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN)
Americans for Justice in Palestine (AJP Action)
Brooklyn For Peace
Friends of Sabeel Colorado
Center for Constitutional Rights
Justice4Palestine-LA
Middle East Ministry of All Saints Church, Pasadena
Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Jewish Voice for Peace-Portland Chapter
Community Not Cages, Winona
Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
IfNotNow Movement
Coulee Region Coalition for Palestinian Rights (CRCPR)
The Episcopal Church
HRA:PI/CD3 (Human Rights Awareness: Palestine Israel, 3rd MA Congressional District)
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, US
Central Pacific Conference Palestine/Israel Network
Institute for Policy Studies, New Internationalism Project
Norwegian Refugee Council
Win Without War
Americans for Peace Now
Support Life Foundation
US Campaign for Palestinian Rights
Sunrise Movement
Additional Resources
- Statement for the Record on H.Res.311 (April 2023)
“The United States provides $3.8 billion in security assistance to Israel’s government each year, and I support the use of these funds for security purposes such as Iron Dome. These dollars should be used to keep the Israeli people safe, but unfortunately the American people do not know how billions of this annual security assistance is being spent. That is why I have worked for years to account for the use of these funds.” - Joint letter to Biden administration (April 2023)
“At this inflection point, we ask your administration to undertake a shift in U.S. policy in recognition of the worsening violence, further annexation of land, and denial of Palestinian rights. Only by protecting democracy, human rights, and self-determination for all Palestinians and Israelis can we achieve a lasting peace.” - New poll numbers(March 2023)
“More than ever before, Americans do not want the U.S. to be complicit in Israel’s mistreatment of Palestinian children and families.” - McCollum Introduces Historic Legislation Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Families (April 2021)
- Congresswoman McCollum’s Statement for the Record Commemorating U.N. Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People(November 29, 2021)
- Congresswoman McCollum’s official remarks at the 2018 U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights National Conference (September 2018)
- B’Tselem: Unprotected: The Detention of Palestinian Teenagers in East Jerusalem(October 2017)
- Human Rights Watch Palestine: Israeli Police Abusing Detained Children(April 2016)
- Defense for Children International – Palestine: No Way to Treat a Child(April 2016)
- United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF): Children in Israeli Military Detention(February 2013)
- UNICEF: Children in Israeli Military Detention, Bulletin No. 1(October 2013)
- UNICEF: Children in Israeli Military Detention, Bulletin No. 2 (February 2015)
- United Kingdom Delegation: Children in Military Custody(June 2012)
Previous Actions to Protect Palestinian Human Rights
The legislation follows previous legislation introduced in the 115th, 116th, and 117th Congresses, and after letters led by Congresswoman McCollum in 2015 and 2016 to the Obama administration about the human rights of Palestinian children subjected to Israeli military detention. In 2015, Congresswoman McCollum led 18 colleagues calling on Secretary of State John Kerry to “elevate the human rights of Palestinian children to a priority status in our bilateral relationship with the Government of Israel.” In 2016, Congresswoman McCollum led 19 colleagues urging President Barack Obama to appoint a Special Envoy for Palestinian Youth.
- Letter to Secretary John Kerry (June 2015)
- Letter to President Barack Obama (June 2016)
- Introduced H.R. 4391, the Promoting Human Rights by Ending Israeli Military Detention of Palestinian Children Act (2017)
- IntroducedH.R. 2407, the Promoting Human Rights for Palestinian Children Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act (2019)
- Introduced H.R. 2590, the Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act (2021)