0. We cry from the top of our voices

 

Statistics

* Its young population distinguishes the Palestinian society. The first demographic survey carried out by the Central Bureau of Palestinian Statistics showed that 55% of the total West Bank population, which in 1997 reach approximately 1,608,000 persons, is 18 years old or younger.

* Its worrying that the high number 35,9%of the working children report that they are exposed to physical or psychological violence or both at the hands of their employers. When asked how they respond to the employers' violence 56,1%of the children answered that they ignore it, 24,4%respond with violence, 6,1% cry while 13,4% apologize to their employer.

1. The Israeli authority while working in Israel and more than half of them 53,2% had to pay fines arrested 11,8% of the children.
2. 33,4% of the children themselves thought that child labor must be abolished.
3. 78,2% of the children believe that labor work affects their education in a negative way while 15,3% believe it affects their education in a positive way.

"Palestinian children have been living under systematic human rights violations since Israel occupied the Gaza Strip and the West Bank (including Jerusalem) in 1967, and particularly during the Intifada." (p. 13; DEFENSE FOR CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL/ PALESTINE SECTION "Rights of Palestinian Children in Times of Peace")

This report is about the Israeli human rights Violation of Palestinian Children in the years 1997-1998.

1. Martyrs: In the year 1997, seventeen Palestinian Children were killed by Israeli soldiers, secret police or Jewish settlers. During 1998, DCI/ PS documented 14 Palestinian children in the age between 3,5 months and 18 years, who were killed by Israeli. Tables and graphs illustrate the dates.

Art. 6 of the United Nations Conventions on the Right of the Child states:

"States Parties recognize that every child has the inherent right to life. States Parties shall ensure to the maximum extent possible the survival and development of the child."

Eyewitnesses describe how the children were killed from the Israeli side. For example there is an eyewitness - report about the death of Ali, a 7 year old boy, which seemed to be really murder, because instead of aiming at his legs, an Israeli soldier aimed at Ali's head. And at Rachel's Tomb there were often situations that children were beaten or even that some Israeli fanatics opened fire at the children. There is no Palestinian military point to protect the children.

2. Injured children: "Approximately 425 cases of injured children were reported in

1997, the majority of which were caused by Israeli soldiers: over 85% (370) by soldiers and 11% (46) by settlers." (p. 22) So the children are also involved in the political conflict. Most of the casualties were caused by rubber-coated metal bullets, which are potentially lethal. The Israeli Soldiers also use tear gas and live ammunition against Palestinian youth and children. Most of the year's casualties took place in Heron, because of political and religious reasons. There are about 400 Jewish extremist settlers, amongst over 120000 Palestinian. 80% percent was handed over to the Palestinians, but 20 percent is under Israeli control (in areas surrounding the Jewish enclaves). These partition leads often to violence and conflicts. "Settlers harass Palestinians on a daily basis. They attack innocent passers-by, and constantly try to seize more Palestinian land and homes in the city. The settlers, and their children, are armed and protected by the Israeli army, who has within its ranks members of the settler groups or comparable ideological factions. During the 31 years long period of the Israeli belligerent occupation of the city, a number of extremist settlers have carried out massacres, killing dozens of Palestinians. The Ibrahimi Mosque massacre of 1994 was but one of the worst of these attacks, which instigated cycles of suicide bombings by Palestinians in the years that followed." (p. 23)

3. Landmines: "Since the Israeli military occupation of the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip started in June 1967, Israel planted the OPTs with landmines." (p. 26) Most of the landmine explosions' victims are children. They are playing with unknown objects without recognizing that there is a high danger. Most of the areas with landmines are under Israeli control. But the Israeli government didn't bear the responsibility for these areas. They have just marked the landmine fields and provided compensations for victims and their families.
4. Detained children: The exact number of children detained in Israeli prisons is unknown because the Israeli Authorities do not issue lists of political prisoners. It is further complicated by the continuing transfer by the Israel Prisons Authority ofPalestinian detainees between its prisons, and between them and Israeli military run detention centers. The number of Palestinian children in Israeli jails and detention centers is supposed to 70 children. But imprisoned children are confronted with many problems. The living conditions are very hard: Malnutrition, insufficient hygiene, inadequate medical treatment and care. Moreover the right of education is violated because only the senior high school students are allowed to visit the school. It the children are released it is difficult for them to return to school. Most of them end up in the streets or are forced to enter the labor market. Another problem is that visits from their families require a special Israeli permission. These permissions are often refused under the pretext of "security". Last but not least detention leaves psychological marks that cannot be numbered. They need a long time to overcome about the psychological pressure and the psychological wounds.
5. Raids: Israeli soldiers and Jewish settlers' attacks on Palestinian property and institutions. Israeli soldiers destroy the Palestinians' houses, kidnap children, beating them to frighten them or without pretext. In Hebron are two schools near Jewish settlement, which are often aims of attacks by Israeli soldiers. Frequently they set their dogs at the school or attack teacher and pupils. In one occasion they destroyed the furniture, books and stamped at the Moslem holy book.
6. Collective punishment, with emphasis on effects of closure on children: The Israeli government often isolated Palestinian villages, so that those children can't reach their schools in the next city. In addition to this they are denied access to medical care.

The report is illustrated by list of tables and graphs. It includes also several annexes with the names and exact descriptions about injured and killed children.

Source: DEFENSE FOR CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL/PALESTINIAN CHILDREN IN TIMES OF PEACE; Rights of Palestinian Children in Times of Peace", May 1999

Probably the worst living-conditions of Palestinian are the refugee camps in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. There are projects to assist Palestinians in achieving their human rights, but a lot of things have to be changed before the situation can improve. Especially the children are affected by this situation. They don't get many diversions from the cramped conditions they are living. The refugee camps inhabitants have dealt with a variety of issues including; child labor, underage smoking, dropping out of school, the rights of girl-child, divorce and early marriage.

In the Gaza Strip and in the West Bank is the rate of marriages under 18 years very high. "Gaza's Beach Camp has one of the highest rates of early marriage in the Gaza Strip and the project aims to create partnerships amongst a wide cross section of residents and community groups to raise awareness of the negative impact of early marriage." (p. 12; The British Council "To assist Palestinians in achieving their human rights") The Women's Affairs Center (WAC) tries to raise the awareness of these problems by offering several workshops to Palestinian Authority, officials, judges, human rights activists and school principals. They also offered workshops to parents and both girls and boys of secondary school age, developing some points with them how to get this problem under control. "WAC's research concluded that girls were being married as young as fourteen, and that such cases of early marriage had a negative impact on issues related to women's health, education, empowerment and economic productivity." (p. 12; The British Council "To assist Palestinians in achieving their human rights")

Child labor is a big problem in Palestine. The awareness of this issue has to rise by the Palestinian people. It seems to be normal that the children are selling products on the market, that they are carrying heavy things, that they repair cars or that they are doing other hard work. In order to raise the awareness of the Palestinian people, the Palestinian Child Arts Center organized an exhibition for two weeks. Children took pictures of other children who were working. The exhibition was opened for two weeks and many visitors (often whole classes or kindergarten-groups) came to visit the exhibition.

"Child Labor in the Palestinian society threatens to create a generation of parents that lack the necessary, basic awareness and skills to raise their children in a healthy way. Child labor has negative psychological and social effects on the children - the future mothers and fathers. Child labor also increases the number of uneducated and illiterate persons in the society since many children who work do not go to school. A field study carried out in the West Bank clearly showed the miserable social and economic realities of the working children's families. The children generally come from big families: the average number of persons in the families of the working children reaches 9,3 persons. This is higher than the average on the West Bank, which is estimated to approximately 6,7 persons per family. Another study made by the two researchers Khaled al-Nabris and Nisreen Khalaf from the Palestinian branch of the International Movement for the Defense of Children showed a low educational level of the families of working children. 27,6% of the members have not completed the first year of school while 45,2% have finished between one and six years."

(From Al-Quds 06.11.1998)

The Palestinian labor law no 16, passed in 1994 and applied in the Gaza Strip (it has not yet been passed in the West Bank) completely prohibits children under the age of 14 from working. It also prohibits them from entering work places. The law says that it is forbidden to use children under the age of 15 as labor force between seven o'clock in the evening and six o'clock in the morning and their effective working hours can not be more than six per day. It is also forbidden to have them work overtime, no matter the reason.

The spreading of child labor has become a dangerous phenomenon. According to the Central Bureau of Palestinian Statistics 6,6% of children aged 6-16 years are included in the labor force… and this increases the number of non-educated individuals in the society.

1. The Palestinian society is distinguished by its young population.

The first demographic survey carried out by the Central Bureau of Palestinian Statistics showed that 55% of the total West Bank population, which in 1996 reached approximately 1 608 000 persons, is 18 years old or younger.

2. It is worrying that the high number 35,9% of the working children report that they are exposed to physical or psychological violence or both at the hands of their employers. When asked how they respond to the employers' violence 56,1% of the children answered that they ignore it, 24,4% respond with violence, 6,1% cry while 13,4 % apologize to their employer.
3. 11,8 % of the children were arrested by the Israeli authorities while working in Israel and more than half of them, 54,2%, had to pay fines
4. 33,4 % of the children themselves thought that child labor must be abolished.
5. 78,2 % of the children believe that labor work affects their education in a negative way while 15,3% believe it affects their education in a positive way.

The International Declaration of Children's Rights, issued by the General Assembly of the United Nations the 20^th of November 1959, states that children must be guaranteed protection from any kind of neglecting, cruelty and exploitation. Furthermore, children can not be traded with in any way, not be used, as work labor before a suitable age and they are not allowed to take up work that might be harmful to his or her growth either physically or psychologically. Experience has revealed that child labor has a negative influence on society's social, economic and political structure as well as the future of its young generation. Ultimately, child labor constitutes a clear violation of the most basic rof children.

There are no problems with Prostitution and Child Slavery in this country, reasoned by the religion. The respect for women and children is very high.

There are only few cultural institutions for children. One of these cultural institutions is the "Palestinian National Theater". The tension between Jewish and Israelis had a serious negative effect on the culture, economic and social life in the whole country. 1996 the Israeli government decided to open a tunnel under the Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Many Palestinian people demonstrated against this decision. During this peaceful demonstration tens of children and young people were killed and thousands were injured by the Israeli army.

The Palestinian National Theater offered several workshops (for producing moppets, shadow theatre, festivals, performances for disabled children) to increase the awareness of children's right. "The level of participation of children and families was remarkable. Based on the statistics of the PNT, the number of children and families who participated in the various activities of the festival is estimated at 35000 persons […] The high community participation may reflect a raise in community awareness and support to arts and puppet theatre." (p. 9f; The Palestinian National Theater "A Report on The Seventh International Puppet Festival; November 1997)

So there are not enough cultural offers for children and they lost the feeling to have their own culture. Often the Childrens talents are not discovered and they can't study any kind of arts. But there is a high demand for such offers. The Palestinian National Theater groups reported in 1997, 700 children coming to watch their performance but only 200-300 children could be accommodated. The Israeli authorities caused another problem. Some children living in the closured areas could not cross the checkpoint of the Israeli authorities and couldn't take part in the festival.

- تشغيل الاطفال …… هضم لحقوق الطفل حسب كل المواثيق الدولية