IDF detains 5-year-old Palestinian in Hebron, blindfolds and handcuffs father

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

WATCH: IDF detains 5-year-old Palestinian in Hebron, blindfolds and handcuffs father (UPDATED)

This post has been updated with the IDF’s response (scroll down).

On Tuesday afternoon, seven IDF soldiers and an officer detained a five-year-old Palestinian child, Wadi’a Maswadeh, in Hebron after he threw a stone that according to the IDF, hit the tire of a car belonging to a settler. (The age of criminal responsibility is 12).

Palestinian 5-year old detained with father, blindfolded in Hebron (Photo: ISM)

The soldiers took him crying and screaming in an army jeep to his home where his mother said he cannot be taken anywhere before the father gets home. (Video footage by B’Tselem volunteers Manal al-Jabri and Imad Abu Shamsia is below.) Once the father, Karam, came home, the soldiers took him and Wadi’a to Checkpoint 56, where they blindfolded and handcuffed Karam. They waited for half an hour, until a lieutenant colonel from the DCO (District Coordination Office of Civil Administration) arrived. He asked the child why he threw stones and then turned to the soldiers and scolded them for detaining a child in front of the cameras. He reportedly told them that “from a Hasbara [PR] standpoint, you are causing damage,” and told them that when cameras are around, they should treat detainees “nicely.” They were eventually met by Palestinian police offers, transferred to their custody and freed shortly thereafter.

B’Tselem has written an urgent letter to IDF Judea and Samaria legal advisor Lt.-Col. Maurice Hirsch, demanding explanation for what appears to be the routine procedure of detaining children illegally. A child under the age of 12 is forbidden by law to be detained or arrested. Furthermore, according to B’Tselem spokesperson Sarit Michaeli, the IDF’s unequal and discriminatory conduct towards settler children who throw stones and Palestinian children who throw stones is clear from such an incident:

“We have extensive documentation of lawbreaking by young Israeli children in Hebron. Settler children under the age of criminal responsibility have often thrown stones at Palestinians with impunity. We are certainly not advocating that Israeli minors under the age of criminal responsibility are arrested – quite the contrary – but the discriminatory treatment is glaring.”

> Special coverage: Children under occupation

I think what is most shocking about this incident – besides the very fact that soldiers detain a five-year old child, shocking and horrible in and of itself – is how calm everything is. There was no violence exerted by the soldiers (excluding the act of arrest itself), as is often seen in arrests in the West Bank. On the contrary, this was all done very calmly without laying a hand on the child.

The scene of Wadi’a and his father sitting and waiting as he is handcuffed and blindfolded appears to be almost normal; the soldiers, don’t seem to think there’s anything wrong with the scene they are actively engaged in; it doesn’t occur to them to question the actions; and Palestinian passersby are are not surprised by the scene as arrests of this kind are in fact part of the daily routine of occupation. Some of them try to document, as the camera is really their only tool of defense.

The following videos shows different times of the detention. The first shows the child being taken away by soldiers in a jeep without his father, screaming and crying (at about minute 3:00); the second shows the child being escorted to checkpoint with his father; the third shows the father and child waiting at Checkpoint 56.

Update (7:25 p.m., July 11):

The IDF Spokesperson’s office responded with following statement: “On Tuesday afternoon a minor was caught in the act of hurling rocks towards a public street in Hebron and, by doing so, endangering passers-by in the area. IDF soldiers intervened on the spot and accompanied the minor to his parents. From there he was passed on to the care of the Palestinian Security Forces, all the while accompanied by his parents. The child was not arrested and no charges were filed.”

http://972mag.com/watch-idf-detains-5-year-old-in-hebron-blindfolds-and-handcuffs-father/75594/

[Jacque67 7,328]

Does seem a tad over the top!

Pity the kid wasn't packing a gun, and then he could have taken command of the situation.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

One child's detention in Hebron embodies the sickness of an entire regime

It takes a racist regime to produce images like this. Nothing less.

I urge readers to look closely at the pictures and videos posted today by Mairav Zonszein, which show the detention of a five-year-old in Hebron. As Mairav correctly points out, the whole process is very calm. Very routine.

I’d add one more adjective: very racist.

Look at those smug soldiers, not even flinching once or thinking twice about detaining a five-year-old. As if there’s no other way for the most powerful army in the region to handle a child who threw a stone.

Look at them, surrounding him, four or five soldiers armed to their teeth with shiny black assault weapons, his parents nowhere in sight. (Here’s where the hasbara folks go: “Well what kind of parents let a kid bla bla bla bla?” Go on, do it. Let’s just get it out of the way early.)

One of my kids is the exact same age. I’m trying to think what this kind of event would do to her, and I shudder. (Hasbara: “Ami, it wouldn’t happen because you’re more responsible than typical Palestinian parents.” Shut up, racists – who aren’t under occupation, by the way.)

It takes a racist regime to produce specimens of masculinity such as these – to not care one bit about the huge stress this child is in. One has to be in an extreme state of apathy toward that child in order to treat him like that. And apathy like that can only be the product of racism.

The nerve, to put a child so young in an army jeep.

To handcuff and blindfold his father, right in front of his eyes.

And, to make things worse, it takes a racist lieutenant colonel to reprimand his soldiers for doing that to the father and his son.

But not because of the mental damage to the child! Oh no!

Not because their actions were illegal to begin with (only children 12 and above can be detained in the West Bank according to military law)! God forbid, no!

No, this officer was angry (are you sitting down?) because they were doing “damage to hasbara!” Yup. He was angry they didn’t pay attention that there were cameras documenting the whole detention.

Stones can be dangerous, yes. Even with the amazing velocity a five-year-old’s arm can conjure up. I’m sure it must have been quite a fastball.

But if this event, a daily occurrence all over the West Bank for 46 years now, doesn’t show you how sick this whole thing is, it’s hopeless.

Totally, utterly hopeless.

http://972mag.com/one-childs-arrest-in-hebron-embodies-the-sickness-of-an-entire-regime/75625/

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Does seem a tad over the top!

Pity the kid wasn't packing a gun, and then he could have taken command of the situation.

Over the top ?????!

This is the most moral army in the world, defending themselves against a 5-year-old guerilla commando.

These brave IDF soldiers are heroes.

[Jacque67 7,328]

Over the top ?????!

This is the most moral army in the world, defending themselves against a 5-year-old guerilla commando.

These brave IDF soldiers are heroes.

I never trust kids!

[decocker 7,198]

i saw the rt report yesterday but i couldn't watch the whole video once i saw the boy. dude holding his hand must feel like such a man.

keep it classy israel!

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

I never trust kids!

Me either. The kid did something wrong. The adults scared him and hopefully he will not do it again. YAWN

[decocker 7,198]

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Didn't take long, did it ? Someone will continually try to justify Israel's appalling treatment of Palestinian children - even though Israel's own law says that it is forbidden to arrest or detain a child under the age of 12.

Jewish children of settlers in occupied Hebron are throwing stones at people, not at car tires - and in full view of Israeli soldiers. Nothing is done to them - the soldiers either ignore it, or move in close to make sure no one does anything to try to stop them.

Flip the switch and imagine if it was a 5-year-old Jewish child being hauled away by Palestininan stormtroopers, his father blindfolded in front of him and detained as well - even after obeying and cooperating with the soldiers - and suddenly it would be crystal clear that this is an sickening and outrageous crime against a child.

But it would never happen to a Jewish child in occupied Hebron. It can't be imagined.

Kind of like it can't be imagined that people who continually defend these sorts of Israeli army actions would ever be ashamed of themselves.

[decocker 7,198]

same people that go apesht over a teen getting arrested for an nra shirt think a five year old has done something to warrant arrest. insanity.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Didn't take long, did it ? Someone will continually try to justify Israel's appalling treatment of Palestinian children - even though Israel's own law says that it is forbidden to arrest or detain a child under the age of 12. and

Jewish children of settlers in occupied Hebron are throwing stones at people, not at car tires - and in full view of Israeli soldiers. Nothing is done to them - the soldiers either ignore it, or move in close to make sure no one does anything to try to stop them.

Flip the switch and imagine if it was a 5-year-old Jewish child being hauled away by Palestininan stormtroopers, his father blindfolded in front of him and detained as well - even after obeying and cooperating with the soldiers - and suddenly it would be crystal clear that this is an sickening and outrageous crime against a child.

But it would never happen to a Jewish child in occupied Hebron. It can't be imagined.

Kind of like it can't be imagined that people who continually defend these sorts of Israeli army actions would ever be ashamed of themselves.

I could agree that the situation as related in the OP is not exactly a good thing. But I don't think it rises to the level of a major crime. The Israeli soldiers are not there to help 5 year old Palestinian children throw rocks at passing vehicles, so stopping the child seems to be reasonable, despite his age.

Where are the Palestinian police?

Where in the story posted is there a mention of Israeli children throwing rocks at people? This would of course be wrong as well, even if it is assumed to be true, but where is the story about this?

A little outrage about a 5 year old throwing rocks seems just as in order. That behavior has to be learned and encouraged by either the parents or some other older person. There is no way a child that age spontaneously understands the background of the conflict, is so enraged over the past and present wrongs, real and perceived he takes violent action in protest, so it appears to be a learned and encouraged act.

Edited July 12, 2013 by ready4ONE

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

I could agree that the situation as related in the OP is not exactly a good thing. But I don't think it rises to the level of a major crime.

It is an outrage for soldiers to detain a 5-year-old child.

Civilized people would call the police, who would go speak to the child's parents, without terrorizing a child and his family.

The Israeli soldiers are not there to help 5 year old Palestinian children throw rocks at passing vehicles, so stopping the child seems to be reasonable, despite his age.

Of course they're not there to protect Palestinians. The soldiers are there to protect the illegal settlers as they rampage around committing violence and making life a hell for the Palestinians who live there, in the ongoing effort to make them so miserable they will leave.

Where are the Palestinian police?

Ready - didn't you even read the article ????

The soldiers took him crying and screaming in an army jeep to his home where his mother said he cannot be taken anywhere before the father gets home. (Video footage by B’Tselem volunteers Manal al-Jabri and Imad Abu Shamsia is below.) Once the father, Karam, came home, the soldiers took him and Wadi’a to Checkpoint 56, where they blindfolded and handcuffed Karam. They waited for half an hour, until a lieutenant colonel from the DCO (District Coordination Office of Civil Administration) arrived. He asked the child why he threw stones and then turned to the soldiers and scolded them for detaining a child in front of the cameras. He reportedly told them that “from a Hasbara [PR] standpoint, you are causing damage,” and told them that when cameras are around, they should treat detainees “nicely.” They were eventually met by Palestinian police offers, transferred to their custody and freed shortly thereafter.

The Palestinian police cannot come in there unless they have permisson from the Israeli army - the DCO (District Coordination Office) is the specific person who is supposed to do these things. All the soldiers had to do was call him. Instead, they thought it was just fine to terrorize a 5-year-old and his family - after all, they weren't Jews.

Where in the story posted is there a mention of Israeli children throwing rocks at people? This would of course be wrong as well, even if it is assumed to be true, but where is the story about this?

Please try reading the article next time:

B’Tselem has written an urgent letter to IDF Judea and Samaria legal advisor Lt.-Col. Maurice Hirsch, demanding explanation for what appears to be the routine procedure of detaining children illegally. A child under the age of 12 is forbidden by law to be detained or arrested. Furthermore, according to B’Tselem spokesperson Sarit Michaeli, the IDF’s unequal and discriminatory conduct towards settler children who throw stones and Palestinian children who throw stones is clear from such an incident:

“We have extensive documentation of lawbreaking by young Israeli children in Hebron. Settler children under the age of criminal responsibility have often thrown stones at Palestinians with impunity. We are certainly not advocating that Israeli minors under the age of criminal responsibility are arrested – quite the contrary – but the discriminatory treatment is glaring.”

It's well-documented that Jewish children of illegal settlers throw stones - I've posted some of videos before (in threads you even participated in !)

A little outrage about a 5 year old throwing rocks seems just as in order. That behavior has to be learned and encouraged by either the parents or some other older person. There is no way a child that age spontaneously understands the background of the conflict, is so enraged over the past and present wrongs, real and perceived he takes violent action in protest, so it appears to be a learned and encouraged act.

It is not unlikely that the 5-year-old was imitating something he had seen - but not from his parents - more likely older boys in the street. 5-year-olds imitate people smoking, fighting, and all sorts of things - they don't have to be encouraged to imitate. Don't you have kids - didn't they imitate things they saw that you never ever taught them ?

And after viewing the videos I just posted (if you even have the stomach for it, as it seems you purposely avoided them in the other thread) I wonder what you will say about what these children are doing and what they are saying, and if you will blame those children's parents - or even the soldiers and other adults who stand by and watch without lifting a finger to stop it.

Talk about learned and encouraged.

There are none so blind as those who won't see...

[ready4ONE 5,400]

I'm going to have to say that the way everyone acts towards each other is pretty much deplorable and pathetic. I did indeed glance through the OP and missed the comments in it about Israeli children throwing rocks. Nonetheless the behavior of all is pathetic and outrageous. I see no justification for either side.

Edited July 13, 2013 by ready4ONE

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Smirk: An Israeli soldier grins at the camera as the boy is detained next to his blindfolded father

Humiliation: The boy is sat next to his blindfolded and handcuffed father at an Israeli police checkpost

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2361760/Five-year-old-Palestinian-boy-dragged-away-Israeli-soldiers-bind-blindfold-father-child-threw-stones-them.html#ixzz2Yv2X0y2y

[Karee 4,190]

A little outrage about a 5 year old throwing rocks seems just as in order. That behavior has to be learned and encouraged by either the parents or some other older person. There is no way a child that age spontaneously understands the background of the conflict, is so enraged over the past and present wrongs, real and perceived he takes violent action in protest, so it appears to be a learned and encouraged act.

I used to throw rocks growing up in Michigan. I guess I was lucky the Michigan National Guard didn't swoop in and arrest me. The justification for the most powerful military in the middle east picking on 5 year olds is amazing. Not really surprising though. Next we'll hear about how dangerous 95 year old grandmothers are.