We have a duty to help the children of Palestine

As teachers and lecturers, we feel strongly that today, on the UN’s Universal Children’s Day, we must call on our government to work with increased determination to achieve improved welfare for the children living in Palestine under occupation and in Gaza. On this day, we are reminded that we have a duty to advocate for children’s rights as set out in the declaration of the rights of the child, which was adopted in 1959, and the convention on the rights of the child, adopted in 1989.

We believe it is shameful that children live in fear, in particular the fear of being detained and imprisoned under military law.

It is a blight on the international community that we are not preventing the arrest of children following the invasion of their homes in the middle of the night by heavily armed soldiers. We are horrified that following their arrest children have their hands bound with plastic ties, are blindfolded and transported away from their families in military vehicles.

We cannot comprehend how any government can preside over such a system. Then to hear that children are also held in solitary confinement makes us realise that this is a system that contravenes the rights of a child in so many ways.

So on this day, and every day, we are demanding that our government lobbies in the strongest possible way for the release of child prisoners and an end to the mistreatment of children detained under military law.
Mary Bousted Joint general secretary, National Education Union
Kevin Courtney Joint general secretary, NEU
Kiri Tunks National Union of Teachers president, NEU
Vicky Knight President, University and College Union
Alison Thornton President, Educational Institute of Scotland
Amanda Martin Vice-president, NEU
Douglas Chalmers President-elect, UCU
Bill Ramsay Vice-president, EIS
Louise Regan NUT ex-president, NEU
Niamh Sweeney Association of Teachers and Lecturers immediate past president, NEU
Nicola Fisher Ex-president, EIS
Philipa Harvey NUT past president, NEU
Heather McKenzie Executive member, NEU
Jess Edwards Executive member, NEU
Joseph Wyglendacz Executive member, NEU
Dave Harvey International chair, NEU executive
Beth Davies Executive member, Wales NEU
Dr Bernard Regan Trustee, NEU
Freddy Vanson Assistant secretary, Southwark NEU
Thomas Gallahue Joint divisional secretary, Hounslow NEU
Ellie Sharp Young teachers officer, Croydon NEU
Safiyya Patel
Amy Johnson President, east London NEU
Carole Regan Past president, NUT
Shaheena Khan Barking and Dagenham Association
Nina Franklin Past president, NUT
Muniza Khan Member, NEU
Betty Hunter
Jamila Haynes
Tony Buttifint Divisional secretary, Islington NEU
Geoff Holmes International solidarity officer, Medway NEU
Barry Ackerman
Una Doyle International solidarity officer, Camden NEU
Georgia Townsend International solidarity officer, Essex NEU
Susan Piper Tameside NEU
Julia Simpkins Divisional secretary, Bolton NEU
Robert Behan Sixth form NEU representative, Newham
Graham Easterlow Head of social education, Breckenbrough School
Valentina Furlong International solidarity officer, Enfield NEU
Mairead Whelan Divisional secretary, Vale of Glamorgan NEU
Niparun Nessa
Jordan Sladden
Hannah Estrada Cocklin International solidarity officer, Windsor and Maidenhead NEU
Christine Blower International secretary, NEU
Helena Akentijevic Assistant secretary, Camden NEU
Louise Atkinson
Matthew Jenkins
Kauser Jan
Alpha Kane International solidarity officer, Brent NEU
Shazia Shah
Emma Davis Representative and committee member, Barking and Dagenham NEU
Alex Kenny Executive member, NEU
Gawain Little Executive member, NEU
Jerry Glazier Executive member, NEU
Roger King Executive member, NEU
Phil Clarke Executive member, NEU
Susan Malpass
Sahbi Benzid
Alice Fonda
Sylvia Erskine
Karen Whyte
Hilary Connor
Dawn Taylor Executive member, NEU
Nigel Yeo Division secretary, Oldham NEU
William Brown Bristol NEU
Emily Davies Sandwell NEU

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