Arlene Kushner..
16 January '12..
We're still dealing with Mitzpe Avichai. As my readers are well aware, I have focused on mistreatment of the infants and children forced out of their homes during the evacuation of this neighborhood. What I have now learned is precisely how much attention has been paid to this issue in relevant forums over a period of time:
As far back as August of 2009, a document had been drawn up by mental health professionals, who took into consideration lessons from previous evacuations of "outposts," regarding the rights of the child in these circumstances. This document made minimal recommendations, and stated that children must be prepared in advance for an evacuation of their homes, and should not be present when the evacuation and destruction are taking place.
At that time, the Knesset Committee for the Rights of the Child called upon the Minister of Defense to adopt this document. Should no document be in place, the Committee recommended that the chief of police hold a hearing with professionals prior to an evacuation with regard to protecting the rights of the children involved in the projected action.
This past December, the Committee for the Rights of the Child revisited this issue, declaring that even political battles cannot justify injury to children. If procedures are not set in place prior to the evacuation and destruction of homes, then adequate protection of the child will not be possible.
Following the evacuation and destruction at Mitzpe Avichai, the Legal Forum for the Land of Israel drafted a letter that went to MK Zevulun Orlev (Habayit Hayehudi), Chair, Knesset Committee on the Rights of the Child; Yohanan Danino, Commissioner of Police; and Major General Avi Mizrahi, head of IDF Central Command.
Additionally, copies were sent to Yitzhak Aharonovitch (Yisrael Beitenu), Minister of Internal Security; Ehud Barak (Ha'atzmaut), Minister of Defense; Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, IDF Chief of Staff; and Nitzav Amos Ya'akov, Judea and Samaria District Police Commander.
16 January '12..
We're still dealing with Mitzpe Avichai. As my readers are well aware, I have focused on mistreatment of the infants and children forced out of their homes during the evacuation of this neighborhood. What I have now learned is precisely how much attention has been paid to this issue in relevant forums over a period of time:
As far back as August of 2009, a document had been drawn up by mental health professionals, who took into consideration lessons from previous evacuations of "outposts," regarding the rights of the child in these circumstances. This document made minimal recommendations, and stated that children must be prepared in advance for an evacuation of their homes, and should not be present when the evacuation and destruction are taking place.
At that time, the Knesset Committee for the Rights of the Child called upon the Minister of Defense to adopt this document. Should no document be in place, the Committee recommended that the chief of police hold a hearing with professionals prior to an evacuation with regard to protecting the rights of the children involved in the projected action.
This past December, the Committee for the Rights of the Child revisited this issue, declaring that even political battles cannot justify injury to children. If procedures are not set in place prior to the evacuation and destruction of homes, then adequate protection of the child will not be possible.
Following the evacuation and destruction at Mitzpe Avichai, the Legal Forum for the Land of Israel drafted a letter that went to MK Zevulun Orlev (Habayit Hayehudi), Chair, Knesset Committee on the Rights of the Child; Yohanan Danino, Commissioner of Police; and Major General Avi Mizrahi, head of IDF Central Command.
Additionally, copies were sent to Yitzhak Aharonovitch (Yisrael Beitenu), Minister of Internal Security; Ehud Barak (Ha'atzmaut), Minister of Defense; Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, IDF Chief of Staff; and Nitzav Amos Ya'akov, Judea and Samaria District Police Commander.