Canada, Stand Up for Palestinian Children's Rights
Children growing up in the Occupied Palestinian Territories live under a military occupation. Their day-to-day reality includes home and school demolitions, water rationing, the loss of family land, checkpoints and military gates, night raids, detentions and imprisonment. It’s time for Canada to stand up for their rights.
Join the Campaign to support Canada, Stand up for Children's Rights.
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Paul Manly introduced Petition e-2667 in the House of Commons on November 20, 2020,
the UN designated International day of the Child.
the UN designated International day of the Child.
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Petition e-2667 closed Nov 3. The petition received 2451 signatures asking the Canadian government to appoint a special envoy to investigate the ways in which Palestinian children are being arrested, interrogated and imprisoned.
Write to your MP asking them to persuade the government to actually appoint a special envoy. Download a sample letter from the links below: Sample Letter (Word) Sample Letter (PDF) Letter from Moderator to Prime Minister |
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Each year, between 500 to 700 Palestinian children are detained and prosecuted in Israel’s military court system. Children in detention face widespread abuse: in 2013, a report by UNICEF found that the “ill-treatment of children who come in contact with the military detention system appears to be widespread, systematic and institutionalized throughout the process, from the moment of arrest until the child’s prosecution and eventual conviction and sentencing.” Amnesty International has reported that children face torture in detention, including “beatings, painful shackling and sleep deprivation.” In March 2020, UN officials called for Palestinian children to be released from Israeli-run prisons and detentions centres, saying they are at “particular risk of COVID-19 infection.” As of the end of June 2020, 151 children were in detention.
Palestinian children also face severe risks to their health and safety. During Israel’s 2014 military offensive on Gaza, 547 Palestinian children were killed, and 1,000 were left permanently disabled. Between 2018 and 2019, Israel’s use of force against the Great March of Return protests in Gaza killed 46 children, injured 8,800, and left 22,500 in need of psychosocial support. In the West Bank and East Jerusalem, children report frequent harassment and violence from settlers, and are traumatized by terrifying Israeli night raids. In just the first 7 months of 2020, Israel’s policy of house demolitions has already left 137 minors homeless in the West Bank and another 94 in East Jerusalem.
It’s time for Canada to appoint a Special Envoy for the human rights of Palestinian children. This campaign is sponsored by the United Network for Justice and Peace in Palestine and Israel (UNJPPI) and Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME). Petition e-2667 sponsored by MP Paul Manly called for the government to appoint a Special Envoy to monitor Palestinian children's rights. The petition closed for signatures on November 3, 2020, at 1:08 p.m. (EDT). For more information, contact info@ChildrensRights.ca.
Palestinian children also face severe risks to their health and safety. During Israel’s 2014 military offensive on Gaza, 547 Palestinian children were killed, and 1,000 were left permanently disabled. Between 2018 and 2019, Israel’s use of force against the Great March of Return protests in Gaza killed 46 children, injured 8,800, and left 22,500 in need of psychosocial support. In the West Bank and East Jerusalem, children report frequent harassment and violence from settlers, and are traumatized by terrifying Israeli night raids. In just the first 7 months of 2020, Israel’s policy of house demolitions has already left 137 minors homeless in the West Bank and another 94 in East Jerusalem.
It’s time for Canada to appoint a Special Envoy for the human rights of Palestinian children. This campaign is sponsored by the United Network for Justice and Peace in Palestine and Israel (UNJPPI) and Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME). Petition e-2667 sponsored by MP Paul Manly called for the government to appoint a Special Envoy to monitor Palestinian children's rights. The petition closed for signatures on November 3, 2020, at 1:08 p.m. (EDT). For more information, contact info@ChildrensRights.ca.
More Resources
- Petition Background
- Steps to Sign the Petition
- Children’s Simple e-Petition
- A Cry for Home (MCC): https://mcccanada.ca/learn/where/middle-east/palestine-israel/cry-for-home
- How are the Children? (Palestinian Children in Israeli Military Detention): https://hatcnow.org/
- No Way To Treat A Child (Defence for Children International-Palestine): https://www.nwttac.canada.dci-palestine.org/