Israeli police criticised over arrest of children

An Israeli human rights group said today police had arrested and illegally interrogated scores of Palestinian children as young as five over stone-throwing incidents.

B’Tselem said Israeli police arrested at least 81 Palestinian youngsters between November 2009 and October 2010 on suspicion of throwing stones at Israelis in the flashpoint Silwan neighbourhood near Jerusalem’s Old City.

The report said some were taken from their homes at night and interrogated, sometimes without a parent present.

Police said the arrests were legal and aimed at stamping out the stone throwing, which often targets police, Jewish settlers and their security guards.

Israel annexed east Jerusalem in 1967. Palestinians hope to make it the capital of their future state.