US aid must not fund Israeli detention of Palestinian children, urges congresswoman

An American congresswoman urged on Saturday that not a single dollar of US aid is used to place Palestinian children in military detention or to tear their homes down.

Betty McCollum, a Democratic lawmaker representing Minnesota, was reacting to a recent poll showing Democrats in the US for the first time sympathise more with Palestinians than Israelis.

"More than ever, Americans do not want the U.S. to be complicit in Israel's mistreatment of Palestinian children & families," she said, quote-tweeting a post about the news.

"Not $1 of U.S. aid should be used to imprison Palestinian children in military detention facilities, or used to tear down their homes."

More than ever before, Americans do not want the U.S. to be complicit in Israel’s mistreatment of Palestinian children & families. Not $1 of U.S. aid should be used to imprison Palestinian children in military detention facilities, or used to tear down their homes. https://t.co/HDgO8XunsY

— Rep. Betty McCollum (@BettyMcCollum04) March 19, 2023

The poll conducted by Gallop found 49% of Democrats sympathised more with Palestinians.

Another 32% said their sympathies lie more with the Israelis, while 19% said they were with neither or both or had no opinion.

Republicans and independents sided with the Israelis.

Though members of older generations favoured Israelis, millennial sympathies lay more with Palestinians – by a small margin of two percent.

It comes after a new far-right government took power in Israel late last year and amid an increase in violence against Palestinians.

The number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces and settlers so far this year is 89, according to Palestinian health ministry data.

It means more than one Palestinian has lost their life a day on average so far in 2023.