Jerusalem mother exposes “Israeli unchilding” of Palestinian children

• Jerusalem teen Shadi Khoury faces verdict after three years of detention, house arrest
• Mother says case reflects systematic targeting of Palestinian children

As the court prepares to issue a verdict on February 15, Rania Elias, a Jerusalemite and former director of Yabous Cultural Centre, shared the harrowing story of her son, Shadi Khoury, in an article for The Electronic Intifada.

Night of arrest

Shadi, a talented teenage goalkeeper and quiet student, was arrested at 16 in October 2022 after 'Israeli' forces stormed his home in Jerusalem. He was handcuffed, blindfolded, and beaten while wearing only pajamas, and interrogators reportedly targeted him for a Palestine Marathon T-shirt he was wearing.

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During questioning, he suffered a broken nose, lost consciousness three times, and endured repeated threats. Court proceedings revealed interrogators lacked proper training for questioning minors and relied on physical and psychological pressure.

After 41 days in detention, Shadi was placed under strict house arrest for a full year, barred from school and outdoor activities. He has faced 41 court sessions over three years on accusations of attending a protest, charges he has consistently denied. His mother said the case relies on coerced testimonies from other minors who later retracted their statements.

“Unchilding” a generation

Elias described her son’s experience as part of a broader policy of “unchilding,” a term used by researchers to describe the systematic stripping of a child’s innocence and safety. According to rights groups, 500–700 Palestinian children are detained annually under security pretexts.

Despite these challenges, Shadi completed his International Baccalaureate exams with support from Friends School in Ramallah and is now a second-year digital marketing student at Birzeit University. Elias emphasized that defending children’s rights is both a humanitarian and political duty, affirming her family’s commitment to fight the system that seeks to destroy Palestinian childhood.