US Teen Held 9 Months Sans Charge, State Dept. Only Now 'Aware'
According to the BBC, Mohammed Ibrahim, a 16-year-old from Florida, has been held by Israeli authorities for nine months without charge, detained while visiting the occupied West Bank. He's finally due in court. The U.S. State Department, ever vigilant, stated it is now 'aware of these reports' and providing consular support (after 270 days, to be precise). This isn't an anomaly; it's a feature.
The Israeli military justice system has a 99.7% conviction rate for Palestinians. The 'administrative detention' system, used to hold Palestinians indefinitely without charge or trial, was condemned by the UN. This selective outrage machine (or lack thereof) operates reliably. AIPAC, for example, dropped $7.2 million directly into congressional campaigns last cycle alone (OpenSecrets.org),
ensuring most US politicians remain blissfully un-'aware' of such pesky details until mainstream media makes them impossible to ignore. One might wonder if this 'awareness' aligns more with election cycles than human rights.