New York-Sana
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki renewed his call on the international community to assume its responsibilities, provide international protection for Palestinian children, and put pressure on the Israeli occupation authorities to stop their crimes and hold those responsible to account.
In his speech during the “Protection of Child Victims of Armed Conflict” meeting, which was held today on the sidelines of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Al-Maliki explained that the occupation forces are escalating their systematic violations against Palestinian children, as they have deliberately and directly killed more than 78 Palestinian children since the beginning of this year. Another 170 are languishing in occupation prisons, in inhumane living and sanitary conditions.
Al-Maliki stressed the need to confront the occupation’s settlement plans and Judaization procedures, which it follows through the forced displacement of Palestinians, the demolition of their homes, the siege of the Gaza Strip and the targeting of infrastructure, in addition to the arrest and torture of children in full view of the world in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.
The Palestinian foreign minister called for the necessity to include the occupation entity and its settlers on the United Nations list of those committing grave violations of children's rights and to ensure that its criminals and officials do not go unpunished.