In April 2023, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign hosted Ayed Abu Eqtaish, accountability programme director at Defense for Children International - Palestine, and Miranda Cleland, advocacy officer at DCIP, for a speaking tour around the United Kingdom meeting with the public, civil society organisations, and members of parliament to build support for the No Way to Treat a Child campaign in the United Kingdom.

Ayed and Miranda spoke to audiences in six cities—London, Hastings, Letchworth, Slough, Bradford on Avon, and Newcastle—to educate activists about the Israeli military detention of Palestinian children, Israel's home demolition policy, and the human rights violations that Palestinian children face at the hands of Israeli forces. Audiences were encouraged grow their understanding of international law, children's rights, and the unique issues facing Palestinian children, and consider ways they can take action in their local communities in support of Palestinian children.

#NoWayToTreatAChild went to Letchworth Garden City last night, hosted by @PSCupdates in a beautiful century-old Quaker meeting house. @DCIPalestine's child detention photo exhibit was on display as well - its third-ever showing! pic.twitter.com/FQydXc9h9P

— Miranda Cleland (@MirandaCleland) April 19, 2023

50+ folks in little Bradford on Avon came to learn more about the #NoWayToTreatAChild campaign last night, including the town mayor. Bradford on Avon is twinned with Tubas in the occupied West Bank.

Off to Newcastle! pic.twitter.com/Z6BVpb9hI5

— Miranda Cleland (@MirandaCleland) April 21, 2023

The featured event of the speaking tour was a panel at Amnesty International's headquarters in London, where Ryvka Barnard, deputy director of the Palestine Solidarity campaign, moderated a conversation with Ayed and Miranda about the issues facing Palestinian children. More than 80 people attended the event in-person and around 100 joined the livestream. The event was followed by a reception centered around DCIP's photo exhibit on military detention on display at Amnesty International.

Ayed and Miranda met with six members of Westminster parliament, including Andy Slaughter, Andy McDonald, Kim Johnson, Chris Law, Philippa Whitford, and Tommy Sheppard, who all expressed their support for the No Way to Treat a Child campaign and discussed ways that parliamentary action can support the campaign's goal to hold Israel accountable for its violations of Palestinian children's rights.

I was very pleased to meet with Defense for Children International - Palestine and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

They told me of their vital work exposing the human rights abuses faced by Palestinian children at the hands of the Israeli military and illegal settlers. pic.twitter.com/pZPWksUSZZ

— Andy McDonald MP (@AndyMcDonaldMP) April 19, 2023

11 Palestinian children are currently being held in administrative detention by the Israeli military.

Children can be held indefinitely without ever being charged.

The UK government must do more to stop these gross human rights abuses. This is #nowaytotreatachild pic.twitter.com/9XQKCqGghw

— Andy McDonald MP (@AndyMcDonaldMP) April 21, 2023

The speaking tour symbolised the soft launch of the No Way to Treat a Child campaign in the United Kingdom and focused on building support among members of the public, Palestinian rights activists, members of parliament, and civil society organisations.

Six organisations have partnered with Defense for Children International - Palestine to lead the No Way to Treat a Child campaign in the United Kingdom.

• Palestine Solidarity Campaign
• Amnesty International
• Caabu
• War on Want
• Amos Trust
• ICAHD UK
• UNISON
• National Education Union
• Addameer

Many other organisations also support the campaign. If your organisation would like to get involved with the campaign, please email [email protected].

Click to download and print this two-page fact sheet

Approximately 3 million Palestinians live in the occupied West Bank, of which around 45 percent are children under the age of 18.

Palestinian children in the West Bank, like adults, face arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment under an Israeli military detention system that denies them basic rights.

Israel has the dubious distinction of being the only country in the world that systematically prosecutes an estimated 500 to 700 children each year in military courts lacking fundamental fair trial rights. Children within the Israeli military system commonly report physical and verbal abuse from the moment of their arrest, and coercion and threats during interrogations.

The poster below highlights the specific stages of detention Palestinian children experience when detained by Israeli forces and prosecuted in the Israeli military court system.