JERUSALEM: Reform of Israel鈥檚 military court system in the occupied West Bank has failed to stop 鈥渟ystematic violation鈥� of Palestinian minors鈥� rights, an Israeli NGO said on Tuesday.
Human rights group B鈥橳selem said that the 2009 launch of a designated military juvenile court with the stated aim of 鈥渋mproving the protection of minors鈥� rights鈥� had failed to deliver.
It said that introduction of the juvenile court rather resulted in only 鈥渢echnical changes (which) have not improved the protection of minors鈥� rights.鈥�
It gave as an example the goal of shortening the length of time that minors are held in custody while awaiting trial.
In practice, it says, this has generated a greater frequency of remand hearings but the military judges 鈥渁lmost always鈥� grant prosecution requests to extend custody.
鈥淭he changes introduced to the military justice system ... are superficial, and affect nothing more than form,鈥� the report says, citing studies by UN children鈥檚 agency UNICEF and Defense for Children International, among others.
鈥淭he reports all point to the same factual findings which demonstrate that minors鈥� rights are regularly and systematically violated.鈥�
A UNICEF report last year cited affidavits taken from 165 West Bank children held by Israel in 2016, saying that all had been subjected to ill treatment or breaches of due process, including not being properly advised of their rights.
Many reported 鈥渧erbal abuse and intimidation during arrest, transfer, interrogation and/or detention,鈥� UNICEF said.
The NGO said that figures provided by the Israel Prisons Service showed that as of Feb. 28, 2018 it held 356 Palestinian minors, nine of whom were serving sentences and 257 awaiting indictment or trial.
The report says that young suspects are frequently advised to plead guilty in exchange for a reduced prison sentence.
鈥淭he conviction rate in Israel鈥檚 military courts verges on 100 percent,鈥� it says.
鈥淭his is not an indication of how effective the prosecution is in proving guilt, but rather a result of the fact that the overwhelming majority of the cases are closed in a plea bargain.鈥�
Israel鈥檚 military said it had not yet received the report and could not comment.
A Palestinian teen arrested in December for slapping two Israeli soldiers who entered the yard of her West Bank home has become a vivid symbol of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Ahed Tamimi, who was 16 at the time, is being held in an Israeli prison until the end of proceedings against her.
She is hailed as a hero by Palestinians who see her as bravely standing up to Israel鈥檚 occupation.
Israelis accuse her family of using her as a pawn in staged provocations.
She has been charged on 12 counts including assault and could face a lengthy jail term if convicted.
Her trial opened on Feb. 21, behind closed doors, as is customary in the case of minors.
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has criticized the actions of Israeli authorities in the case.
Her December scuffle with the soldiers took place amid clashes and protests against US President Donald Trump鈥檚 controversial recognition of Jerusalem as Israel鈥檚 capital.
At least 32 Palestinians and five Israelis have been killed since Trump鈥檚 Dec. 6 announcement.