BERNARD Regan, of Action 4 Palestinian Children, came to talk to Sarum Concern for Israel and Palestine (SCIP).
His organisation campaigns against the deterioration of Palestinian children’s rights to health, education and for a childhood free from fear.
He outlined the differences in the legal system between the treatment of Israeli and Palestinian children in the West Bank in Palestine.
Palestinian children are dealt with by Israeli Military courts, Israeli children are subject to civil court proceedings. A Palestinian child may have to wait up to three months to see a lawyer, as opposed to a maximum 48 hours for the Israeli child.
A Palestinian child can be kept in detention without charge for four times longer – 188 days. He also spoke of the ongoing physical and mental trauma, particularly recently with the mass bombing of Gaza. Some 578 children were killed, 91 families were completely annihilated, over 11,000 adults and children injured with much infrastructure, including schools destroyed.
He urged us to act to improve the situation by lobbying our MPs, publicity and sanctions.
SCIP works for peace, justice and reconciliation in Israel and Palestine. Further details from 01722 349740.
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