800,000 Kids Bearing Brunt of Gaza Blockade

While the world bickers over the rights and wrongs of the Israeli blockade on Gaza, hundreds of thousands of children continue to bear the brunt of it.

Thousands of children under five
are dying each year in Gaza and the Palestinian
territories generally. Much of this can be put
down to the air, land, and sea blockade which
is now approaching its fourth year. The brunt
of this blockade is being borne by the 800,000
children of Gaza, who make up approximately
55% of the population of 1.5 million.

See Source for the full article.

Save the Children says 800,000 children are included among the population of 1.5 million in Gaza, a number supported by UNICEF. The CIA in fact records the median age of the entire population at just 17.5 years. 44% of the population it says is under 14.

Humanitarian agencies are being kept busy throughout Gaza in the wake of the blockade imposed by Israel in June 2007, which is now approaching its fourth year. The ghetto-type conditions in Gaza have been exacerbated by the three-week-long war that took place in late 2008 and early 2009, which according to UNICEF killed more than 1,400 Palestinians, of which 350 were children. Thirteen Israelis also died during the hostilities, including 3 civilians.

"Thousands of families are still living amid rubble and crumbling infrastructure due to the blockade that bars everything but limited supplies of essential humanitarian goods. Only 41 truckloads of construction materials (0.05 per cent of pre-blockade flows) have been permitted entry since the Gaza War," says UNICEF.

"Throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territories almost 12,000 children under five years old still die from preventable causes each year, as do more than 1,800 children under 12 months old," UNICEF said in a statement on its Web site. "Two thirds of households are not connected to a sewage network, meaning water is discharged into the environment partially or totally untreated. The education system has suffered with learning outcomes plummeting for the past two years."

The United Nations has been critical of the blockade saying it violates articles 33 (prohibition on collective punishment) and 55 (duty to provide food and health care to the occupied population) of the Fourth Geneva Convention. Richard Falk, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights
in the Palestinian territories, says Gaza has been brought to the brink of collapse.

Education of Gazan kids was severely disrupted by the Gaza War. UNICEF says some 280 schools were damaged or destroyed, along with critical water and sanitation infrastructure and almost half of all health facilities.

A United Nations Development Program report published last month says three-quarters of the damage inflicted on Gaza during the war remains unrepaired and unreconstructed. The report says 82.50% of the education facilities damaged or destroyed during the conflict are yet to be repaired or reconstructed.

While Israel is usually singled-out as the country that has imposed the blockade on Gaza, Egypt also shares some responsibility. "Egypt shares responsibility for the collective punishment of Gaza's civilian population due to its own closure of Gaza's southern border," a Human Rights Watch report published last month says. "Except in limited circumstances, Egypt refuses to allow the passage of goods or people through the border crossing it controls at Rafah."

While I am choosing to keep my personal views out of the whole Middle East Peace Process debate, I wanted to post this article on ATS as I feel it's relative to the ongoing debate. However, I think it's clear which side the author of this article is supporting. Be that as it may, I am just the messenger

[edit on 6/5/2010 by UberL33t]

reply to post by UberL33t


Its sad the innocent children always suffer mans cruelty...

S&F for showing the human side of this tragedy.

Infant mortality rate - Palestine

total: 18.67 deaths/1,000 live births male: 20.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 16.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)



The infant mortality rate is the number of deaths of children under ... 23 deaths per 1 000 live births in Mexico and Turkey respectively (Chart CO1.1). Infant mortality rates ...
www.oecd.org...

atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com...

just sayin

Who cares about future terrorists? I certainly don't.

Has anyone seen that very professonal youtube vid the IDF put out where they are singing ? must had cost a army and a leg and taken some time to produce.

This is a media war Iserail is not going to win and some ports are going to refuse to unload Isreali ship so then lets see what the zionist have to say about blocades at ports.

reply to post by debz325


We are all terrorists now brother.

Every year an estimate of 700 Palestinian children are arrested by the Israelis. Many of them suffer psychological and physical torture. Some are as young as 10 years old.

They are convicted in military tribunals, mostly after "confessions" obtained during interrogations. As many as 14 percent are subjected to sexual abuse and harassment or threats thereof.

The effects of detention on Palestinian children are widespread and long-term. In addition to the physical repercussions of torture on children, child ex-prisoners experience symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome such as the inability to relate to their friends and family, bed-wetting, nightmares and anxiety. Moreover, because Palestinian children are denied the right to continue their education whilst in detention, they fall behind in the educational system and often leave school early. Due to the inability to obtain permits and the subsequent restriction on movement, unemployment is another significant problem faced by Palestinian ex-detainees.

No wonder they grow up to become wannabe terrorists.

www.dci-pal.org...

Three children - three stories

What a great nation Israel has become

Isreal is great and they have every right to defend themselves.You can tell the terrorist from a legitamate military.One has indoor plumbing while the other straps bombs to there little illiterate children.

Originally posted by debz325
Who cares about future terrorists? I certainly don't.

Can someone ban this troll please?

reply to post by debz325

If systematic maltreatment of children amounts to greatness...
...then I guess you are right.

More Ethnic Cleansing in modern day times, nothing new.....

Confronting the Bible’s Ethnic Cleansing In Palestine

Is Yahweh the Great Ethnic-Cleanser? Did He not instruct the Israelites to rid their Promised Land of its indigenous people?

Few biblical scholars want to wrestle with these questions.

Well I for one, worry about the children of the Palestinian Territories;

Al-Aqsa TV

Criticism
Tomorrow's Pioneers, a children's program on the Hamas television station, Al-Aqsa TV.

According to the Anti-Defamation League, the station promotes terrorist activity and incites hatred of Jews and Israelis, and much of its programming that glorifies violence is geared towards children.

The station broadcast the children's television program Tomorrow's Pioneers which has been accused of furthering themes of antisemitism, anti-Americanism, anti-Zionism, Islamic extremism, Islamic supremacism, Islamism, and jihadist proselytism. Tomorrow's Pioneers has a central character named "Farfur", an actor dressed in a full body-suit to resemble the Walt Disney cartoon character Mickey Mouse. In 2007, following complaints by Israeli watchdog groups that triggered international scrutiny, Palestinian Information Minister Mustafa Barghouti said he had asked Al Aqsa TV to stop the broadcasts so the content could be reviewed. Despite Barghouti's call, Tomorrow's Pioneers went on the air as usual. In later episodes Farfour was killed by Israeli which led to him being replaced by a bee named Naoul. Who, shortly after that, also died just to be replaced by a Rabbit character named Assoud.

Assoud the Rabbit





en.wikipedia.org...

[edit on 5-6-2010 by Skellon]

reply to post by Koyaanisqatsi


Hi Koyaanisqatsi,

What age range would you define a person as being a 'child'?

Originally posted by debz325
Who cares about future terrorists? I certainly don't.

First, terrorism is a tool used by governments, not children. And terrorism is merely warfare waged when you have no economy, heavy industry, or infrastructure. What's the difference between delivering a bomb via aircraft or delivering it by your hands? Answer: your country's GDP. Why is one labeled a terrorist and the other a soldier? This conflict is asymmetrical warfare. Isn't it funny that the side which has been beaten to abject poverty and desperation is mocked because of their nearly hopeless situation. It's like a 200 pound bully laughing at a little girl. I think the bully is even more pathetic.

Second, children are less likely to become "terrorists" if they've got something to lose. Right now their lives are hopeless, and they're reacting the way any human being would in such desperation.

Stop trying to preemptively punish children for god's sake and let them build a future.

Instead of bombs and blockades, they need food and forgiveness. No, it won't change things overnight, but the argument that "I'm not going to love them, which leaves me no option but to kill them" is the attitude that has sustained this godforsaken conflict for so long on both sides.



[edit on 5-6-2010 by 30_seconds]

Originally posted by LieBuster
Has anyone seen that very professonal youtube vid the IDF put out where they are singing ? must had cost a army and a leg and taken some time to produce.

This is a media war Iserail is not going to win and some ports are going to refuse to unload Isreali ship so then lets see what the zionist have to say about blocades at ports.

reply to post by debz325

 

We are all terrorists now brother.

Ah yes, here it is;

Flotilla Choir presents: 'We Con the World' (Turkish 'Aid to Gaza' song with Captain Stabbing & Friends)



From reports, it seems to be going viral.




[edit on 5-6-2010 by Skellon]

Originally posted by Skellon
reply to post by Koyaanisqatsi

 

Hi Koyaanisqatsi,

What age range would you define a person as being a 'child'?

I think Israel and U.S raise their children more terrorist than in Gaza and they are much more dangerous. Their way of perceiving the world, how they otherize all other people (except white-male-"rational" people), how they justify all the killings. I am afraid that Hamas will someday get the education tools of Israel and U.S and will start to raise their children with that curriculum.

reply to post by 30_seconds


Dont feed the troll. He is troll like some of the "white-male-rational" western population.

reply to post by Skellon


Article 1 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child defines ‘children’ as persons up to the age of 18.

According to Israeli domestic law, majority (the age you can be tried in court as an adult) is attained at 18.

So, I guess my answer will be 18.

However, if you are Palestinian, children as young as 12 years are prosecuted in the Israeli military courts and are treated as adults as soon as they turn 16...

Age of imprisoned Palestinian children
12 - 13 years 1.4%
14 - 15 years 21.9%
16 - 17 years 76.7%

I have just recently read a report filed to the UN Committee Against Torture of 100 case-files concerning allegations of torture against children. The youngest being only 10. The report is from 2009.

Quote:

Of particular concern is the continued practice involving Palestinian children being made to sign confessions written in Hebrew, a language few children comprehend. Once obtained, it is these confessions that constitute the primary evidence against Palestinian children in the military courts.

And more:

The arrest process is often accompanied by yelling, violence and property damage, ending with the child being blindfolded and having his or her hands tied tightly behind their back with plastic ties that have a tendency to cut the flesh. Mass arrests from homes in entire neighbourhoods continue to take place in the Occupied Palestinian Territory during military incursions.

Some of the findings of the UN Committee Against Torture:

• Concern regarding numerous, ongoing and consistent allegations of the use of torture and ill-treatment taking place before, during and after interrogations.
• Deep concern at reports that Palestinian children are detained and interrogated in the absence of a lawyer or family member and are allegedly subjected to acts in breach of the Convention against Torture in order to obtain confessions.
• Concern at reports that approximately 700 Palestinian children are detained annually and are prosecuted in Israeli military courts.
• Concern at reports that in 95% of cases involving Palestinian children before the Israeli military courts, conviction is obtained using confessions extracted during interrogation.
• Concern that all but one of the prisons where Palestinian children are detained are located in Israel, hindering family visits. (This contravenes Article 76 of the
Fourth Geneva Convention).
• Concern that administrative detention does not conform to Article 16 of
the Convention Against Torture (cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment) because, among other reasons, it is used for inordinately lengthy
periods of time and detainees are unable to challenge the evidence which is the
basis for the detention.

I urge you to read the report for yourself.

Regards, Koy.

reply to post by Koyaanisqatsi


Hi Koyaanisqatsi,


You can legally have sex at age 16 in the United Kingdom.

You can legally get married at age 16 in the United Kingdom.

You can legally drive a car at age 17 in the United Kingdom.

You can join the British Army at age 16.

So you would accept that a 17 yr old British soldier driving a car with his wife, carrying their unborn baby is a 'child'?

This is my point; The image Western people around the world have when there is a report of a 'child' being killed is that of a prepubescent.

We know how morbidity makes the Main Stream Media salivate at high ratings potential and therefore employ sensationalism.

I suspect Hamas/Hezbulla do aswell.

The 'child' may well have been a person of 17 yrs and 11 months in age, carrying an assault rifle and an RPG.

But you can guarantee when the video/photograph of this 'child' is shown in the back of an ambulance, there will be no weapons in sight.

You see how this can be exploited?

From tragedy, comes a political statement.

The OP's posted photo does not sit well with me for two reasons;

1. It is upsetting to see dead babies.

2. What the hell are those children doing gathered around the dead babies?

Answer : Hard hitting political image to derive international sympathy and condemnation.

If your answer to this is 'they see this everyday' that is no excuse to arrange them for a photo opportunity.

It shows disrespect for the deceased infants and disrespect for the children present and their families.

Infact, I can go further, this scene can be classified as inappropriate child exploitation.

A child (plural: children) is a human between the stages of birth and puberty. The legal definition of "child" generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child defines a child as "a human being below the age of 18 years unless under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier."

en.wikipedia.org...





[edit on 5-6-2010 by Skellon]

reply to post by Skellon


Hi again, Skellon!

You have many valid points, and each and every one of them could be worthy of its own thread. It is a dilemma.

Both you and I know that there is no "black and white" in this world, and that both parties carry "blame" in this conflict. The truly innocent ones are the children. And they suffer. That makes me sad.

I have made my point in this discussion, and I believe the facts (at least as I see them) speak for them selves. I don't hate the Israelites, but I do believe that they are on the wrong path if what they want to achieve is a land of their own where they can live in peace without fear of being attacked. IF that truly is what they want.

To me it looks like the ones running the show have another agenda, but then again, I could be wrong.

As always it is old men who declare wars, but it is the youth who must fight and die...

Stay safe,
Koy