Palestinians groan at keeping Israel off UN blacklist of children rights

A Palestinian diplomat on Tuesday expressed deep concerns over excluding Israel from a UN blacklist of parties involved in violating the rights of children in armed conflicts.

"This decision contradicts with facts that Israel committed serious violations against our children," Riyad Mansour, Palestinian representative in the UN, said in a statement carried by official WAFA news agency.

The decision, issued Monday by UN Secretary General Ban ki-moon, also excluded Islamic Hamas movement.

Mansour asserted that evidence confirms a pattern of killings of children by Israeli forces in the occupied Palestinian territories, attacks on schools and hospitals and denying the entry of humanitarian aid.

He pointed out that 535 Palestinian children were killed and at least more than 3,000 injured, including 1,000 permanently disabled, during the Israeli offensive war waged on the Gaza Strip last summer.

Mansour added that the lack of accountability of Israel for these crimes encouraged it to continue violating law.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said "Israel has never been part of the black list of countries and organizations that violate the rights of children during armed conflicts, so it is natural and logical not to include its name."

Israel sought to defend its citizens from terrorist attacks of a criminal organization that uses population and children Palestinians as human shields, it added. Endit