Detention of Palestinian young children up 74%

According to the latest figures compiled by Detention of Children International (DCI-Palestine), sources including the "Israeli" Prison Service (IPS) and temporary "Israeli" army detention facilities revealed that the number of Palestinian children detained in "Israeli" prisons and detention centers inside "Israel" and the Occupied Palestinian Territory at the end of September, was 326. 

This number according to DCI-Palestine is the lowest figure this year, but which still represents a 7% increase compared with the corresponding period in 2008. The monthly average number of Palestinian children held in "Israeli" detention in 2009 still remains high, at 370 per month, compared with 319 in 2008 which represents an increase of 16%.

The NGO continues to be deeply concerned by the high number of young children between the ages of 12 and 15 being detained. At the end of September 2009, 40 children in this age category were being held in "Israeli" detention facilities, compared with 23 children in September 2008 which represents an increase of 74%. 

As a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), "Israel" is legally bound to give effect to Article 37 which provides that 'the arrest, detention or imprisonment of a child ... shall be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time.' 

As for female Palestinian detainees, following the recent release of 20 female Palestinian prisoners in exchange for video footage of "Israeli" soldier, Gilad Shalit, currently there are no Palestinian females in "Israeli" detention under the age of 18.