Minute: Members of South Central Yearly Meeting (SCYM) of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) believe that all children are entitled to the same fundamental human rights and protections. Approved on September 27th, 2020
We are painfully aware that the United States contributes to physical and psychological harm to children, both in its domestic policies and practices, such as juvenile justice and immigration detention, and through its foreign military aid to countries that violate children’s rights. One particular concern is the systematic ill-treatment and torture of Palestinian children by the Israeli military and their prosecution in military courts that lack basic safeguards for a fair trial.
We therefore join multiple faith leaders in support of H.R. 2407, “Promoting Human Rights for Palestinian Children Living Under Military Occupation Act,” introduced by Rep. Betty McCollum (D - MN).
We support H.R. 2407 because it aligns with Quaker testimonies of equality, integrity and peace. H.R. 2407 promotes justice, equality, and human rights for children globally by prohibiting any foreign aid dollars from the United States to be used for “the military detention, interrogation, abuse, or ill-treatment of children.”
We request our members of Congress in the U.S. House of Representatives to co-sponsor H.R. 2407 and work to assure U.S. foreign aid and military aid from the United States is not used to subject Palestinian children, or children anywhere, to military detention or inhumane treatment by military authorities.
We ask SCYM monthly meetings, through their Peace and Social Justice/Action Committees to arrange for notification of SCYM’s support for H.R. 2407 to be delivered to our respective congressional representatives’ offices.