Every child has the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and activities appropriate to the age of the child and participate freely in cultural life - UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Children in Palestine are affected by Israel’s occupation in every part of life including education, economy and health.
Palestinian children are routinely subjected to night time arrests, solitary confinement and denied legal representation.
Isreal is the only country in the world that automatically prosecutes children in military court.

Children and young people are often seen on the frontline of demonstrations against Israeli occupation. The popular image of stone-throwing Palestinian youth rolls across news reports from the region but is a futile expression of frustration against the occupation, and no match against Israeli military tanks and weaponry. For many young brave people, this is the one simple act of defiance against Israeli occupation and an apartheid regime. The stones thrown are most often targeting Israeli armoured personnel carriers’ a real show of David’s determination against the strength of Goliath. The difference here is that the stones will do no harm whatsoever to the army vehicles. Despite this, many Palestinian children have been shot for throwing stones, and others who have been arrested are imprisoned for up to a year.

The Fourth Geneva Convention states that the responsibility for the welfare of Palestinian children rests with the occupying power, i.e. Israel, which has occupied the West Bank and Gaza since 1967. As long as the population remains under military rule, Israel will retain that responsibility.

Many Palestinian children have witnessed the murder of their friends and families and suffer psychologically as a result.

Palestinian children have no idea what a normal secure life is like, and this can only change if the occupation ends.