Dear Madame Ouedraogo,

I appeal to you as Chairperson of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, among other tasks, responsible for evaluating the implementation of the International Declaration of Children's Rights, to bring the issue of what is happening these days in the Palestinian Authority territories to discussion in your committee.

As you certainly must be aware, during the past month there has been a continuous situation of fighting and serious confrontations between the Palestinians and the Israeli security forces. Unavoidably, as the result of these confrontations there have been heavy losses to both sides - both fatalities and many injured. Many of the fatalities on the Palestinian side were children and youth - even some young children.

We regret this very much. Whatever the circumstances may be, even when speaking about children of another nation, and perhaps that of the enemy, we must all make all efforts to protect the first and basic right of every child - the right to life.

At the same time, it is difficult to totally ignore the circumstances that increase the unnecessary risk to the children; circumstances that are possible to change with a little desire from the Palestinian side without having to waiver on their position in the confrontation.

We bring your attention to what seems to be a lack of serious effort to avoid the participation of children in almost every confrontation during the past month despite their young age. One can see youth and even young children standing at the front of the battle across from Israeli soldiers and citizens, taking an active part in the disturbances, throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails and other violent activities.

Even if one does not accept the assumption that adults purposely encourage children to participate in confrontations, the end results show that seemingly not enough is being done by adults - be it parents, teachers, people of authority or government - to actively prevent and forbid the participation of children in the forefront of conflict. As a result, it causes a greave injustice to children, endangering them, their health and their lives and stands in total contradiction to Article 38 of the UN Declaration of Children's Rights.

Even if you accept the assumption that Israel and its Security Forces have the responsibility to do all they can and more to avoid shooting and injuring children, it is impossible to ignore or repress what seems to be the lack of action or a clear message on the part of the Palestinian Authority to forbid and to oppose the use of children in the struggle.

Even if people will charge (and rightfully so) that in Israel too, not all individuals, groups or organizations strictly abstain from the use of minors to promote the goals of adults, this should not belittle the seriousness of the situation in the Palestinian Authority, and the imminent results.

We could make a public or placid appeal to the Palestinian Authority about this issue directly, but due to the current situation, no request from an Israeli body (even from an independent NGO as we are) has a chance of being heard or seriously considered by the other side.

It seems more appropriate that an international independent body such as the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child could convey the message to the Palestinian Authority in a manner that may have a chance to be heard. The call to avoid the use of children within the framework of the confrontations should not be seen as taking a stand on the issue between sides. The principal benefactors of this message will be the Palestinian children themselves.

I thank you for your action in this matter.

Sincerely yours,

Dr. Yizhak Kadman
Executive Director
The National Council for the Child