[RAMALLAH, 6 August 2009] - Yesterday, 5 August, the BBC released a short film exposing the abuse and violent ill-treatment of Palestinian children by Israeli soldiers.

The film focuses on the the "brutal" process of arrest following West Bank demonstrations against the occupation, in which many Palestinian children throw stones. A boy who was 13 years old when he was arrested is interviewed by the BBC team and testifies: "They dragged me from my home by the scruff of the neck, choking me. My mum was screaming. They beat me with their guns and kicked me all the way to the jeep. They cuffed my hands and legs, blindfolded me, and left me there for 24 hours."

A former Israeli military commander is also interviewed and tells the BBC: "Nobody's thinking about them as a kid, you know. If there's someone there blindfolded and handcuffed, he's probably done something really bad. So it's ok to slap him, it's ok to spit on him, it's ok to... kick him" .

Watch the 3-minute video

DCI-Palestine briefed the BBC team while they were researching the topic of the film. Our most recent report on Palestinian child prisoners focused on the systematic and institutionalised ill-treatment and torture of Palestinian children detained by Israeli authorities (link below).

Additional information:

• Read DCI-Palestine's report: Palestinian Child Prisoners: The systematic and institutionalised ill-treatment and torture of Palestinian children by Israeli authorities (11 June 2009)

• Read the statement issued by UN agencies, International NGOs, and Israeli/Palestinian organisations in support of DCI-Palestine's report (9 June 2009)

• Read The Independent article, "Bound, blindfolded, beaten by Israeli troops" (9 June 2009) - Children among Palestinian detainees abused during West Bank operation, according to soldiers' confessions

• Read the UN Committee Against Torture's recommendations to Israel (May 2009)