In the midst of the ruthless Zionist assault on Gaza and the West Bank, the number of Palestinian martyrs has now risen to 2,215, with an alarming 724 of them being innocent children. Naturally, this raises the pressing question: why do the occupying forces intentionally and systematically target Palestinian children?
Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism (AOCE) firmly asserts that the oppressive Zionists have long made children their primary target, heinously killing or imprisoning them. This sinister policy has been devised ever since the occupation forcibly seized control of Palestinian territories. In recent times, however, this policy has witnessed a distressing surge, fueled by several factors that demand our attention, as follows:
1. The rise of far-right extremism has played an instrumental role in the election of a radical, ultra-right Zionist government. This administration, which includes extremist figures such as Smotrich who advocates for the complete eradication of the Palestinian town of Huwara, has been consistently identified by AOCE as the most radical and hostile towards the Palestinian people.
2. A disconcerting trend emerges with the issuance of extremist religious verdicts by senior Rabbis of the Occupation, effectively sanctioning the killing of Palestinian children. These authorities, driven by the misguided fear that these children may follow in their fathers’ footsteps in defending their homeland, propagate the appalling notion of eliminating the Palestinian offspring.
3. At the core of the Zionist ideology lies a disturbing principle: the annihilation of all inhabitants of besieged towns during times of war. Tragically, this principle finds manifestation in the ongoing bloodshed in Palestine. The occupying forces, driven solely by their chaotic and barbaric nature, continue to perpetrate acts of violence against children, women, and the elderly, disregarding any semblance of moral or human values.
In the face of this reprehensible Zionist occupation, AOCE unequivocally condemns the deafening silence of the international community regarding the crimes committed against Palestinian children. The Observatory further emphasizes that the Palestinian people’s entitlement to a dignified life on their occupied lands is not merely a demand, but an inherent and fundamental right that must be upheld.