Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Jerusalem (Agenzia Fides) - While world leaders work on peace processes in the Middle East the children of the region suffer hunger, fear and desperation.
Children bear the greatest burden of conflicts in the Middle East said Radhika Coomaraswamy, UN special representative for children and armed conflicts after a two day visit to the Holy Land.
“It is a duty to restore peace to the Middle East for the good of the children”, she said denouncing the situation of fear and misery of the children she saw during her visit. At the meeting with the leaders of Israel the UN official asked them to take concrete measures to improve the living conditions of the children. She also questioned the necessity of the security wall built between the territories of Israel and Palestine, and stressed that the high number of Palestinian children in prison, at the moment 398, only feeds more violence.
In her meeting with in Palestinian leaders, Ms Coomaraswamy expressed concern for the use of children in political violence.
According to official estimates 400 children have been killed in recent conflicts in Lebanon, and 124 Palestinian children were killed in 2006. In Israel, eight children died in violence and 30 per cent of the children in northern Israel are said to suffer from post-trauma mental disorder. (AP) (2/5/2007 Agenzia Fides; Righe:24; Parole:263)
