Israel’s acting envoy challenges rock-throwing claims by Bradford MP
Israel’s deputy ambassador has accused Labour MP Naz Shah of getting her facts wrong following a parliamentary debate about the treatment of Palestinian children whilst in Israeli detention.
In a letter to the Bradford West MP, Israel’s chargé d’affaires Eitan Na’eh challenged Shah’s statement during a Westminster Hall debate on Wednesday that there was “no evidence” of a child causing or contributing to a death by throwing rocks.
In his letter, he says: “Rock-throwing is a violent crime that can and has led to death on multiple occasions,” before giving examples from 2001, and most recently of Adele Biton, a four year old girl who succumbed to her injuries in February 2015.
“It would be dishonest to downplay the lethal nature of rock-throwing, as well as the involvement of some Palestinian minors in heinous crimes,” he said. “I recommend that you re-evaluate your position.”
.@DcmNaeh‘s letter to @nazshahbfd, combating fiction with fact re. Palestinian terror after @UKParliament debate pic.twitter.com/P9Jg1pjW7t
— Embassy of Israel (@IsraelinUK) January 11, 2016
The debate, called by Labour MP Sarah Champion, had been brought to highlight the discrepancy between the treatment of Israeli and Palestinian children held in Israeli custody, the former being held for a maximum of 40 days before being tried in civilian courts, the latter held for up to 188 days before being tried in military courts.
Champion also took aim at security contractor and boycott target G4S, for “providing services to the prisons that hold Palestinian detainees following their unlawful transfer from the West Bank [to Israel], in violation of the [Geneva] convention”.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
