Legislation proposed by Democratic Rep. Betty McCollum would prohibit US funding to IDF over detention of children.

New legislation proposed by Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) on Wednesday would prohibit US funding to any foreign military that detains children, including Israel.

The bill, known as the Promoting Human Rights for Palestinian Children Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act, H.R. 2407, would authorize the creation of an annual $19 million fund to support non-governmental organizations that monitor rights abuses pertaining to the Israeli military's alleged detention of children.

“Israel’s system of military juvenile detention is state-sponsored child abuse designed to intimidate and terrorize Palestinian children and their families,” McCollum said in a statement on Wednesday. “It must be condemned, but it is equally outrageous that US tax dollars in the form of military aid to Israel are permitted to sustain what is clearly a gross human rights violation against children.”

“Peace can only be achieved by respecting human rights, especially the rights of children. Congress must not turn a blind eye to the unjust and ongoing mistreatment of Palestinian children living under Israeli occupation,” continued McCollum.

“I strongly believe there is a growing consensus among the American people that the Palestinian people deserve justice, equality, human rights, and the right to self-determination. It is time to stand with Palestinians, Americans, Israelis, and people around the world to reject the destructive, dehumanizing, and anti-peace policies of Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump,” concluded the statement.

McCollum’s bill cites a Human Rights Watch report from 2018 which said that Israel's military "detained Palestinian children often using unnecessary force, questioned them without a family member present, and made them sign confessions in Hebrew, which most did not understand."

The legislation faces an uphill battle in Congress where it is likely to face near-uniform opposition from both Democrats and Republicans.