Young Palestinians in Israeli jails

Young Palestinians in Israeli jails

AlJazeeraEnglish — April 16, 2010 — It is estimated that around 9,000 Palestinians are detained every year by Israel.

According to human-rights groups, up to 700 teenagers and children were detained last year alone.

More than 270 Palestinians, who are under the age of 18, are currently held in Israeli prisons.

Little is known about the long-term effect of detention on Palestinian teenagers. But with over 760,000 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel since 1967, experts say detention is a source of trans-generational trauma in Palestine; one that is passed on and bound to repeat so long as the occupation persists.

Prisoners tend to have symptoms of post-traumatic stress syndrome, experts say, and they warn that young detainees suffer more than adults from this experience, even if they are not tortured.

Child prisoners account for almost 20 percent of patients at Palestines only torture victim centre.

Al Jazeera's Nour Odeh reports from Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. [17 April 2010]



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