Children living the Palestinian territories are resilient, but suffer from a great deal of anxiety, insecurity, and despair as a result of the ongoing hostilities with Israel, the U.N. special representative for children and armed conflict said Monday While we recognize the security concern that Israel has, the balance has shifted too far, and has had a negative affect on Palestinian and Israeli children, said Radhika Coomaraswamy, who visited the Palestinian territories, Israel and Lebanon last week. Coomaraswamy briefed reporters on topics she covered with senior Palestinian and Israeli officials, including how the Israeli security barrier has had a negative impact on Palestinian children, the overwhelming number of Palestinian children in detention, and violations committed by Israeli settlers against Palestinian children. Coomaraswamy said she spoke with Israeli and Lebanese government officials on cluster munitions and their affect on children. During her visit, Coomaraswamy met with many children, including at a jail where children 12 and older were detained. There are currently 398 children in Israeli jails, and their detention, especially for those who committed minor offenses, only feeds the cycle of violence, she said. The stone throwers are being mixed with the suicide bombers, and I don t think this is entirely appropriate, Coomaraswamy said. She indicated that the jails were clean and the children were well-fed, but that they received only 90 minutes of schooling a day. Asked by S.P.A. whether she discussed the Israeli army s practice of taking over primary schools, Coomaraswamy replied, We ddi speak about the rules of engagement. Schools should be zones of peace. Coomaraswamy said she also discussed the use of children and civilians by Palestinian militias, noting the institutionalization of a conduct code in 2003 that prevented militants from using children. They will try and revive this code, she said. The one positive aspect of her trip was that both the Palestinian Authority and Israeli government were willing to review school curricula to prevent incitement to violence and hatred. Coomaraswamy noted that under President Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian schoolbooks had improved, but under Hamas, the texts became more militant.
