About Us
Parents against Child Detention (PACD) is a grassroots Israeli organization, established in 2018 by a group of Israeli parents deeply concerned about the harm Palestinian children endure under Israeli occupation.
At any given moment, between 150 and 250 Palestinian youths aged 12 to 18 are being held in detention or imprisoned by Israeli authorities. The human rights violations experienced by the children and their families are overwhelming: children arrested at home in the middle of the night, on the street or at school, questioned without access to lawyers, subjected to physical violence and threats, restrained and blindfolded for hours, no contact with family members and more.
The Israeli public is generally unaware of the extent of the phenomenon of Palestinian minors’ detention, the practices that accompany it, and the reasons behind the arrests.
PACD’s overall goal is to end the violations of Palestinian children’s rights in detention, interrogation and arrest proceedings, and to reduce the number of Palestinian children arrested, interrogated and imprisoned.
Since 2018 PACD has held several public activities, including conferences, street rallies, online campaigns, exhibitions, public testimony readings, and generated articles in the mainstream press – all of which have led to over 1500 parents joining our newsletter, tens of thousands engaging with our social media content.
In December 2021 PACD organised the first-ever special discussion held in the Israeli Knesset on the issue of detained Palestinian children – attended by both opposition and coalition MKs, PACD supporters and NGO reps.
Our Team
Our Executive Board
Nirith Ben Horin
Founder of “Parents Against Child Detention” and chair of the organization’s Executive Board Nirith holds a master’s degree in social work, currently works with families at risk specializes and is training in family and couple therapy.
Dr. Smadar Ben Nathan
An expert in international law, researcher of human rights and military courts. Lawyer in the field of human rights and criminal law, and political activist.
Dr. Eitan Diamond
Specializes in human rights law and international humanitarian law. Eitan has worked as a researcher and legal advisor at B’Tselem, as a legal advisor to the International Red Cross delegation to Israel and the Occupied Territories, and as the Director-General of the human rights organization Gisha.
Developer
Adv. Farah Bayadsi
Works with the Public Committee Against Torture (PCATI) and specialist in Human Rights and International Law
Adv. Osnat Cohen Lipshitz
Manages the legal department of Gisha. Board member of “Breaking the Silence”, and “Assaf” and active in “Machsom Watch”.
Shai Greenberg
Over 15 years of experience in the field of communications, and for the past 10 years works as the spokesperson for the human rights organization “Gisha”, which promotes freedom of movement for Palestinians and goods from and to the Gaza Strip
Developer
Dr. Anat Matar
Senior lecturer in the Department of Philosophy at Tel Aviv University and a veteran political activist. Active in protests against administrative arrests, support for Palestinian political prisoners and refusal to enlist in the army. Matar is also active in the Academy for Equality.
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