Israel’s acting envoy challenges rock-throwing claims by Bradford MP

11 January 2016, 3:24 pm
Naz Shah
Naz Shah 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.

Eitan Na’eh

“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.”

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”.

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