The Honorable Susan Rice, Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations The Honorable

Daniel B. Shapiro, American Ambassador to Israel The Honorable Ron Prosor, Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations The Honorable Michael Oren, Israeli Ambassador to the United States of America When you sign, please add your title, specialty and/or affiliation and send to mapstudygroup@gmail.com January 16, 2012 Dear Madam Ambassador, We are writing to you as an international group of professionals, clergy, educators, physicians, academics, and artists who are committed to the state of Israel and who care deeply about the future of Israeli and Palestinian youth. We are concerned about recent credible reports that in October and November 2011, five Palestinian adolescents were kept in solitary confinement in Israel for periods ranging from 3 to 24 days. According to these reports, the minors were detained for actions deemed dangerous to Israeli security. They were arrested in the middle of the night, without their parents being informed why they were being detained or where they were being taken. The authorities responded with the toughest measure possible. They were transferred from the West Bank to the Al Jalame interrogation and detention center inside Israel. During the transfer they reported being painfully tied, blindfolded for many hours, and subjected to verbal abuse. It appears that they were also denied food, water, and toilet breaks, deprived of sleep for extended periods of time, and held in isolation.1 These are not isolated incidents. In 2010 Hamoked and Btselem published a report based on 121 testimonies of Palestinians held in Petah Tikva Interrogation Center, of which 18 were adolescents.2 Many of these cases refer to the use of solitary confinement, where detainees are held in strikingly similar conditions, to the five most recent cases. Since 2008, there have been at least thirty-eight cases of minors who report being held in solitary confinement for an average of 11 days.3 Their treatment follows a similar pattern as described by Btselem and Hamoked.

Particularly troubling are the childrens descriptions of being held alone in cells consistently referred to as Cell No. 36. These are the words of a 17 year old kept in solitary confinement for 24 days: It was a very small cell, which had a mattress on the floor and a toilet with a horrible smell. It also had two concrete chairs. The lights in the ceiling were dim yellow and on 24 hours-a-day, which hurt my eyes. The walls were grey and had a rough surface. The cell had no windows, just two gaps for letting air in and out. The food was served through a flap in the door. (DCI-Palestine: R.J. (17 years) http://www.dci-pal.org/english/display.cfm?DocId=1342&CategoryId=1 2 http://www.btselem.org/download/201010_kept_in_the_dark_eng.pdf 3 DCI/Palestine, 2011 Urgent Appeal http://www.dci-palestine.org/sites/default/files/ua_1-12__solitary_confinement.pdf

We had understood that the Israeli authorities were no longer placing Palestinian juveniles in solitary confinement. Therefore, we are extremely concerned to hear that this practice continues, which according to international human rights commissions, amounts to torture.4 Indeed, in 2007 the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child called for a total ban on the practice of solitary confinement and prohibits its use on anyone under the age of 18. Yet we now have credible accounts of five Palestinian minors who were so detained in the last few months.5 The insidious effects of sensory deprivation and isolation on adults have been well documented. The literature consistently points to the fact that even those individuals who do not have predisposing psychological disorders may develop paranoid delusions and schizophrenic symptoms in solitary confinement. Imagine then the greater psychological risk for adolescents, whose brains are still developing and who are, therefore, still malleable and reformable. Depriving adolescents of meaningful contact can have farreaching and devastating psychological and physical consequences. Isolating them raises their anxiety and despair, disorienting and terrifying them, triggering depression, insomnia, suicidality, and psychosis. Memories and flashbacks from solitary confinement interfere with rehabilitation, which is still possible. Upon their release, the consequences for the detained minors, for their families, and for their siblings have serious implications for the stability of the communities from which they come. As professionals, we are concerned about the transmission of traumas like these from one generation of Israelis and Palestinians to the next. We are sensitive to Israels legitimate security concerns and its duty to protect its citizens and persons under its jurisdiction, or de facto control, from violence. However, we are also firmly of the belief that these considerations can, and must, be met without detaining juveniles in solitary confinement. We would like to take this opportunity to urge the relevant authorities to immediately stop the practice of placing minors in solitary confinement and to put in place a legal framework that will ensure that minors are not, under any circumstances, subject to such harsh conditions whilst held in Israeli detention facilities.

See for example the Istanbul Statement on the Use and Effects of Solitary Confinement: http://www.univie.ac.at/bimtor/dateien/topic8_istanbul_statement_effects_solconfinment.pdf 5 http://www.dci palestine.org/sites/default/files/solitary_confinement_website_dec_2011.pdf
4

Signatures Individual affiliations for identification purposes only Jean Maria Arrigo, Ph.D. Project on Ethics and Art in Testimony, Inc. Amy Ballin, Ph.D. School Counselor Suzanne Brad Bass Todd Mountain Theater Project Donna Bassin, Ph.D. Visiting Assistant Professor Pratt Institute Deanne Bell, Ph.D. Psychologist for Social Responsibility Jessica Benjamin Psychoanalyst Clinical Associate Professor New York University, Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis Peter Beinart Journalist New America Foundation Dr. Jeannie Blaustein, Ph.D., D. Ministry Clinical Psychologist Ofra Bloch, MSW, LCSW Psychoanalyst and Psychotherapist National Institute for the Psychotherapies Susan Bodnar, Ph.D. Clinical Psychologist Columbia University, Stephen Mitchell Relational Center Trudy Bond, Ph.D. Spokesperson Coalition for an Ethical Psychology Steven Botticelli, Ph.D. Ghislaine Boulanger, Ph.D. Faculty

New York University, Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis Annabella Bushra, Ph.D. Faculty Westchester Center for the Study of Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis Mary Marshall Clark Director Columbia University, Center for Oral History Larry Derfner Blogger +972 Magazine Ann Eisenstein, LCSW Psychotherapist Barbara Eisold, Ph.D. Faculty Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy Adjunct Supervisor Yeshiva University Diane Ehrensaft, Ph.D. Director of Mental Health, Child and Adolescent Gender Center University of California San Francisco Ruth Fallenbaum, Ph.D. Psychologist Survivors International, San Francisco Mark Finn, Ph.D. North Central Bronx Hospital Elsa First, MA Psychoanalyst New York University, Postdoctoral Program Mary-Joan Gerson Faculty and Supervisor New York University, Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis. Diane Goodman, Ph.D. Diversity Consultant Rabbi Laura J. Gold, Ph.D. Clinical Psychologist Adjunct Assistant Professor

Jewish Theological Seminary Elizabeth Goren, Ph.D. Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb Don Greif, Ph.D. Clinical and Forensic Psychologist William Alanson White Institute Dr. Leonard Grob Prof. Emeritus of Philosophy Fairleigh Dickinson University Talia Hatzor, Ph.D. Psychologist and Psychoanalyst Elizabeth Hegeman Ph.D. Professor John Jay College of Criminal Justice Claire Hertz, LCSW, BCD Nancy Caro Hollander, Ph.D. President Psychoanalysis for Social Responsibility Charles Kadushin, Ph.D. Distinguished Scholar, Brandeis University, Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies Sarah Kamens, MA Doctoral Candidate in Clinical Psychology Fordham University Barbara S. Kane, Ph.D., LCSW Psychoanalyst Institute For the Psychoanalytic Study of Subjectivity Nada Khader Executive Director WESPAC Foundation Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum Senior Rabbi Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, New York Benjamin Korman Susan Kraemer, Ph.D.

Clinical Instructor Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons Lynne Layton, Ph.D. Assistant Clinical Professor Harvard Medical School Ronnie C. Lesser, Ph.D. Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor Dartmouth Medical School Jancis Long, Ph.D. Peacebuilding and Reconciliation Co-chair Psychologists for Social Responsibility Karen Malpede Playwright and Co-Artistic Director Theatre Three Collective, Inc. Adjunct Professor John Jay College Aliza Mazor, MSW Organizational Development Consultant Idith Meshulam, Ph.D. Abigail Miller, LCSW Assistant Director of Field Education Hunter College, Silberman School of Social Work Michael Moskowitz, Ph.D. Adjunct Associate Professor NYU Silver School of Social Work, Institute for Psychoanalytic Training and Research Sally Moskowitz, Ph.D. Psychoanalyst Institute for Psychoanalytic Training and Research Co-Director Anni Bergman Parent-Infant Training Program Paula Nesoff, MSW Professor Emeritus Dr. Kristin Norderval Freelance Composer and Singer ASCAP

Bradley Olson, Ph.D. National Louis University Donna Orange, Ph.D., Psych.D. Faculty New York University, Postdoctoral Program Institute for the Psychoanalytic Study of Subjectivity, New York Istituto di Specializzazione in Psicologia Psicoanalitica del S e Psicoanalisi Relazionale, Roma e Milano Zeese Papanikolas, MA. Writer and Professor (Retired) The San Francisco Art Institute Lina C Petrakis Elementary School Teacher (Retired) Stephen H. Portuges, Ph.D. Director, Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Program New Center for Psychoanalysis Steven Reisner, Ph.D. Psychologist and Activist Natalie Robinson-Garfield, MA Judy Roth, Ph.D. Adjunct Associate Medical Professor, City University of New York Mental Health Activists in Partnership/MAP Jacqueline Rose Professor Queen Mary University of London Jack M. Saul, Ph.D. Assistant Professor and Director of International Trauma Studies Program Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health David Schwartz, Ph.D. Michal Seligman, PsyD. Mental Health Activists in Partnership/MAP Alice Shaw, Ph.D. President (former) Psychoanalysis for Social Responsibility

Dr. Sharon Sliwinski Assistant Professor The University of Western Ontario, Faculty of Information and Media Studies David Smiley, M.Arch., Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Architecture and Urban Studies Barnard College, Columbia University Stephen Soldz, PhD President (former) Psychologists for Social Responsibility Society for Humanistic Psychology Division 32 of the American Psychological Association Donnel Stern, Ph.D. Faculty and Training And Supervising Analyst William Alanson White Institute Gillian Straker Visiting Research Professor University of Witwatersrand Johannesburg, South Africa Melanie Suchet, Ph.D. Stephen Mitchell Relational Center Frank Summers, Ph.D. Professor Northwestern University Nina K. Thomas, Ph.D. Associate Professor New York University, Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis Paul L. Wachtel, Ph.D. CUNY Distinguished Professor City College, Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology Cleonie White, Ph.D. Faculty William Alanson White Institute Mental Health Activists in Partnership (MAP)

Annegret Wenz-Haubfleisch, Ph.D. Historian and Archivist State Archives of Marburg (State of Hessen, Germany) Myrsini Zorba Hellenic Open University Israeli Supporters Judy Auerbach Professor (Emerita) Ben-Gurion University, Department of Psychology

Expressive Therapist Adjunct Faculty Haifa University and Beit Berl Elana Lakh Art Therapist and Jungian Psychotherapist Valfer Liora, MA Bati Lowenstein, MA Art Therapist Ruchama Marton, M.D. Psychiatrist President and Founder Physicians for Human Rights Israel Maya Mukamel, Ph.D. Clinical Psychologist Haifa University Diddy Mymin Clinical Psychologist Ronny Perlman, MA The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Anat Raphael Integrative Arts Psychotherapy Michal Pundik Sagie Family Counselor and Art Therapist David Senesh, Ph.D Clinical Psychologist Levinsky College of Education Dorit Szykierski, Ph.D. Private Practice Yedida Turkenich Clinical Psychologist Tal Yakoobinsky, MA Developmental Psychologist Dr. Zivya Zeligman Director of the Lotem Center for Treatment of Sexual Abuse Trauma Tel-Aviv Medical Center

Nissim Avissar, Ph.D. Clinical Psychologist Kibbutzim College, Hertzliya Tirza Bar-Hanin Clinical Psychologist Racheli Bar-Or Social Worker and Psychotherapist Alternative Parenting Center, Israel Ruth Ben-Asher, MA Clinical Psychologist Psychoactive Lior Biran, M.A. Clinical Psychologist Julia Chaitin, Ph.D. Social Psychologist Sapir College, School of Social Work Efrat Even-Tzur Child Psychologist Naama Gershy, M.A Ph.D. Candidate in Clinical Psychology Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus Ruth Golan Psychoanalyst Ayana Halpern, MSW Social Worker in Psychiatric Rehabilitation Dr. Irit Halperin