Throughout 2014, increasing numbers of Palestinian youth were targets of Israeli authorities' systematic raids, arrests, and violence. According to DCI-Palestine, an average of 192.8 Palestinian children per month were placed in Israeli military detention facilities from January through November 2014. However, there are likely several hundred more Palestinian minors (under age 18) from East Jerusalem under house arrest or in detention. Many of these children have been arrested during night raids by armed Israeli forces that remove them from their homes in a terrifying and often violent manner. They are frequently handcuffed, blindfolded, beaten, and heavily disoriented when transferred to interrogation. In most cases, the children's parents have no knowledge of their whereabouts, and the detainees receive no legal counsel. Minor detainees are often coerced into submitting a confession for a crime they did not commit. Some children are placed into solitary confinement, which is not only a breach of international law, but also considered a form of torture for minors.
Comment: It can probably be stated quite confidently that international law is a complete joke. It's a tool used by the U.S. to pressure non-compliant nations into bending to their will, but otherwise, if the country is an ally of the U.S. like Israel or a puppet state like Ukraine, a blind eye will be turned towards any violations of international law. The U.S. likes to tout itself as the "greatest country on Earth", but when they allow and even support human rights abuses, they no longer qualify as a moral nation and certainly cannot be an example to anyone.
A 2013 UNICEF report identified the maltreatment of Palestinian children in Israeli military detention as "widespread, systematic, and institutionalized." Sadly few reforms have been made since then. Laws continue to be violated and more children suffer. The Israeli Military Order 1651 defines a child as a person under age 12. Palestinian detainees ages 12 and above can be sentenced in Israeli military courts, which violate international law and Israeli juvenile law. The sentence for stone throwing and other offenses committed by Palestinian minors can result in a maximum of 20 years. These sentencing periods do not include jail time or house arrest prior to the trial. Furthermore, detainees are not permitted to attend school during pre-trial detention.
Comment: It's becoming increasingly common for police to be found lying about what happens during arrests. At least in this case the victim was not only found innocent but the officers have been rightfully charged for the crime that they committed. Police commanders around the U.S. should sit up and take notice.