Aid curbs leave Palestinian children at greater risk, rights panel says
A UN child rights panel says pressure on aid and rights groups in Gaza and the West Bank is weakening protection for Palestinian children.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
3 min read
A United Nations child rights panel warned Monday that Palestinian children are being left with fewer safeguards as aid groups and human rights organisations are pushed to reduce their work in Gaza and the West Bank. The warning points to a shrinking support system for children who rely on those groups for legal help, documentation of abuses and emergency assistance.
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child said many civil society and humanitarian organisations working in the occupied Palestinian territory have been branded as “terrorists” by pro-Israel groups or politicians. The committee said those accusations, combined with other restrictions, are making it harder for organisations to operate and to assist children and families.
In a statement issued through the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the committee said child rights groups have spent more than 30 years defending Palestinian children, including in Israeli military courts. It also said those organisations have documented serious violations against Palestinian children by Israeli forces.
UN panel cites raids, travel bans and sanctions
The committee said pressure on rights defenders has included military raids, travel restrictions, personal financial penalties, threats of arrest and the destruction of records. It also said partners that support those groups have faced threats of secondary sanctions.
According to the committee, those measures have made safe operations increasingly difficult for organisations that children and families seek out for help. The panel said the absence of such groups would leave Palestinian children with less protection and could allow rights violations to go unpunished.
The committee called on the international community to hold Israeli authorities accountable for attacks on Palestinian human rights defenders. It also urged Israeli authorities to remove restrictions imposed on humanitarian workers and organisations.
The panel said child rights defenders have continued working with Palestinian children and families despite serious danger and limited resources. It said those workers should be protected rather than penalised.
Humanitarian access under pressure
Al Jazeera reported that Israel has sharply restricted humanitarian operations in Gaza since the ceasefire that began on October 10. It said Israel moved to bar Doctors Without Borders, widely known by its French acronym MSF, after the organisation did not provide a list of its Palestinian staff.
Al Jazeera reported that the ban further reduced access to life-saving assistance for Palestinians in the besieged enclave. The report did not include an Israeli response to the UN committee’s latest statement.
In February, 17 international aid organisations asked Israel’s Supreme Court to allow them to continue working in the Gaza Strip and other parts of the occupied Palestinian territory, according to Al Jazeera. The outlet reported that the Israeli government had planned to stop their work.
The UN committee’s statement adds to wider concern among humanitarian and rights groups over the ability of civil society organisations to work in Gaza and the West Bank. The committee’s central warning was that restrictions on those groups are falling most heavily on children who have few other avenues for protection.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.