How Israel inflicts trauma on Palestinian children

By Dr. Shrin Zarqa-Lederman

The ongoing illegal Israeli occupation and settler-colonization of Palestine have subjected Palestinian children to unique and systemic difficulties. Dr. Nadia Shalhoub-Kevorkian, a Palestinian feminist, activist and scholar, introduced the term “unchilding” to describe the consequences of the Israeli occupation on Palestinian children. Unchilding refers to the intentional and systematic elimination of childhood experiences, innocence, and playfulness by means of settler colonialism. The following examines the phenomenon of unchilding by exploring how the occupation uses violence, arbitrary detentions, incarcerations, home demolitions, and movement restriction to foster the unchilding of Palestinian children in occupied Palestine. 

Violence and Trauma on Palestinian Children

The ongoing illegal military occupation has exposed Palestinian children to traumatic and violent events such as bombings and shootings, which can have detrimental effects on their mental health and development. The senseless execution of a 16-year-old Palestinian girl, by an Israeli sniper in 2022 illustrates the use of excessive force against Palestinian children.

Jennah Zakarneh was shot and killed by Israeli forces on the rooftop of her home in the West Bank in December of 2022, attempting to rescue her kitten. Israeli authorities claimed that she was attempting to carry out a stabbing attack, but eyewitness accounts and video evidence suggested that she posed no threat at the time of her death. 

The impact of such violent and unprovoked deaths such as this has rippled throughout the community, making other children feel powerless and fearful, thus robbing them of their childhood.

According to documentation collected by Defense for Children International – Palestine (DCIP), 53 children, including 36 Palestinian children, were shot and killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the occupied West Bank in 2022.

Impact of Detention and Incarceration on Palestinian Children

Israeli authorities have been known to arrest and detain Palestinian minors for extended periods, without legal representation or due process. According to human rights organizations such as DCIP, 500 and 700 Palestinian children are arrested and prosecuted in Israeli military courts each year, often on charges of stone-throwing or other minor offenses. Children as young as 12 years old have been detained, and many are subjected to physical and psychological abuse, including torture, during interrogation.

Ahmed Manasra, a 13-year-old Palestinian boy at the time, was severely injured in 2015 after being run over by an Israeli settler and then attacked by a mob of Israeli bystanders. Despite being critically injured, he was then detained and prosecuted by Israeli authorities for allegedly carrying out a stabbing attack. The case of Ahmed Manasra was widely criticized by human rights organizations for the use of excessive force against a child and the failure to provide him with proper medical care. He has also spent the majority of his time in solitary confinement despite it being against international law to put children in solitary confinement for extended periods of time. 

Ahed Tamimi, a Palestinian teenager, became a symbol of Palestinian resistance after a video of her slapping an Israeli soldier, following the deadly shooting in the head of her 15 year-old cousin, went viral in 2017. She was later arrested and prosecuted by Israeli authorities and spent eight months in prison. Her case received international attention and was widely criticized by human rights organizations for the violation of her right to a fair trial and the use of excessive force against a child. 

Last June Al Jazeera reported 80% of Gaza children suffer depression after 15 years of blockade.

Impact of House Demolitions and Displacement on Palestinian Children

Israeli authorities regularly demolish Palestinian residences, resulting in displacement and the loss of community, cultural, and familial ties, which can have negative effects on the development and well-being of children. 

Rayan Suleiman, a 7-year-old Palestinian boy, died of a heart attack in September of 2022, while fleeing the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) who had raided his residence, after being chased home by Israeli troops. It was reported that as they entered his home, Rayan began shrieking in fear and ran to the back of his house, where he went into cardiac arrest. His father and relatives said Rayan was ‘frightened to death’ by Israeli soldiers. 

His experience illustrates the impact of home invasions and military violence on the sense of safety and security among Palestinian youth. Continued home invasions can have an ongoing effect on the psychological and emotional health of Palestinian children, contributing to the process of unchilding by robbing them of a sense of safety, stability, and security.

Impact of Movement Restrictions on Palestinian Children

Due to checkpoints and other restrictions on movement imposed by the Israeli military, Palestinian children may be prevented from accessing essential resources such as clean water, healthcare, and education. This can limit their opportunities and have negative effects on their physical and mental health. 

This is highlighted by the death of a just eight-month-old Palestinian, Omar Yaghi, who died in June of 2020, due to heart failure after Israeli authorities repeatedly denied his family’s requests for a permit to travel from Gaza for medical treatment. The family’s initial request was denied, and they were told to apply again, but their second application was also rejected without any explanation. The baby’s condition continued to deteriorate, and he eventually passed away at a Palestinian hospital. This highlights the ongoing issue of Israel’s restrictions on Palestinians’ access to healthcare and medical treatment, which has resulted in numerous deaths and is a violation of their basic human rights.

The concept of “unchilding” sheds light on the impact of the Israeli occupation on the mental health and well-being of Palestinian children. The Israeli occupation contributes to the erasure of Palestinian collective memory and identity by depriving children of their childhood experiences, innocence, and playfulness by means of violence, trauma, and structural oppression. 

The long-term effects of unchilding on Palestinian children and their mental health are still being studied, but it is evident that the Israeli occupation has had a profound and multifaceted influence on Palestinian children. Efforts are being made to develop interventions and support systems to mitigate the effects of unchilding and provide Palestinian children with the coping and healing resources they require. 

By raising awareness of the effects of the Israeli occupation on Palestinian children and advocating for their rights, we can work towards a future in which all children can experience the pleasures and opportunities of childhood and develop into healthy, undeprived, resilient adults.

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