Apartheid Israel highly abusively occupied 78% of Palestine (1948-1967) and thence 100% for the 55 years after 1967. In the Occupied Palestinian Territories Apartheid Israel leads the world for killing journalists, and is among world leaders in “killing children per year per million of subject Indigenous population”. The civilized world must act by Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Apartheid Israel and all its supporters.
Our World in Data [1] provides a global database involving a map of the world enabling you to click on any country to find “Homicide victims younger than 20 years old per 100,000 people within the same age-group in 2015” [1]. This provides a useful guide to the best and the worst countries but unfortunately does not provide data for the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Nevertheless, it provides a guide to relative annual child homicide per population in the same age group. The worst countries in terms of “homicide victims younger than 20 years old per 100,000 people within the same age-group in 2015” are Guatemala (22), Venezuela (20), Lesotho (18), Brazil (17), Eswatini (16), Panama (15), Nigeria (14), Democratic Republic of the Congo (14), Colombia (13), and Honduras (13). Much of this mortality is due to criminal gang violence (as in Latin America and Southern Africa) or to rebel gang violence (as in the Democratic Republic of the Congo) rather than due to state violence (as in the Apartheid Israel-occupied Occupied Palestinian Territories).
Children are defined as persons from 0 to 17 years. As detailed below, I have determined from available recent data for the Occupied Palestinian Territory [2], that an average of 25.8 children have been killed per year per million of total territory population, with the perpetrator being the war criminal Apartheid State of Israel. As set out below I have sought to get comparative data for “children killed per year per million of total entity population” for the World and for a number of key countries and territories.
World (7.6 children killed per year per million of total global population).
According to a detailed report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC): “An estimated total of 205,153 children aged 0 to 14 years lost their lives worldwide as a result of homicide during the ten-year period 2008–2017. Of these, roughly six in ten were male (59 per cent) and four in ten were female (41 per cent). Over the same period, an estimated total of 1,691,869 adolescents and young adults between the ages of 15 and 29 were intentionally killed. Around 86 per cent of these were male and 14 per cent were female. The rate of lethal victimization as a whole rises with age, while gender disparities in homicide rates increase sharply after the age of 14. Child homicide constitutes the lethal end of a long continuum of violence against children. Globally, it is estimated that up to 1 billion children aged 2–17 years experienced physical, sexual or emotional violence or neglect in 2017. Violence against children differs from other crimes because of the vulnerability of its victims…
Figure 1. Homicide rate among children aged 0 ̶ 17 in 2016 (or latest year with available data), worldwide and by region… World: 16 child homicides per year per million of population in the corresponding age group, Europe: 5, Americas: 30 [obviously lower per million of total population]…
the global homicide rate in the age group 10–14 in 2016 was 0.80 per 100,000 population for males and 0.57 per 100,000 population for females (based on the 41 countries that provided data). In terms of regional variation, the highest homicide rate was recorded in the Americas, with 1.66 per 100,000 population for male victims in that age group and 1.05 per 100,000 population for female victims. The homicide rate recorded in Europe for victims in the same age group was much lower, standing at 0.19 per 100,000 population for males and 0.23 per 100,000 population for females… 15- to 17-year-olds were the age group among children (not if young people as a whole are considered) with by far the highest global homicide rate in 2016. At approximately 21 per 100,000 population, the male homicide rate in the Americas for this age group was more than six times higher than the female rate, which stood at around 3.3 per 100,000 population in that year. In Europe, there was no significant difference between male and female homicide rates in this age group (0.53 versus 0.66 per 100,000 population)” [3].
Assuming that 3/15 of the 1,691,869 15-29 year old people were aged 15-17, this indicates 338,374 annual deaths of 15-17 year olds and hence a total of 205,153 (0-14 years) + 338,374 (15-17 years) = 543,527 (0-17) deaths during the ten-year period 2008–2017. The average world population in 2008-2017 was 7,168 million [4]. Accordingly, 543,527 child deaths / (10 years x 7,168 million) = 7.58 children killed per year per million of population.
Occupied Palestinian Territory (25.8 children killed per year per million of total territory population).
According to Defence for Children International Palestine: “Since 2000, 2,198 Palestinian children have been killed as a result of Israeli military and settler presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, according to DCIP’s documentation” [2]. The average population of the Occupied Palestinian Territories in 2000-2021 was 4.056 million [4]. 2,198 children killed/ (21 years x 4.056 million population) = 25.81 children killed per year per million of population (3.4 times bigger than for the World).
Kashmir, India (2.6 children killed per year per million of Jammu and Kashmir population).
“Indian security forces have killed at least 894 children in occupied Kashmir over the past 30 years, the Kashmir Media Service said in a report Thursday” [5]. The average population of Jammu and Kashmir over the last 30 years was 11.343 million [6].
894 children killed/(30 years x 11.343 million average population) = 2.63 children killed per year per million of Jammu and Kashmir population (2.9 times lower than for the World).
Ituri Province, Democratic Republic of Congo (53.6 children killed per year per million of total province population).
According to Save the Children: “Since January 2020, the situation in Ituri has deteriorated significantly in the Djugu, Irumu, and Mahagi territories. At least 1,315 people were killed, including 165 children. An estimated 300,000 people have been displaced since January, adding pressure to the situation in Ituri, which has already hosted over 1.2 million internally displaced people in 2019 [7]. According to the UN: “UNICEF said nearly 175 grave violations have occurred across Ituri since January, such as recruitment of children into armed groups, killing and maiming of children, sexual violence and attacks on schools and hospitals… Ituri has a total population of 5.7 million people. It is estimated that more than 1.6 million people across the province are displaced, and 2.8 million are in need of some form of emergency assistance” [8]. 165 children killed/ (0.54 years x 5.7 million population) = 53.61 children killed per year per million of total province population (7.07 times greater than for the World)..
Honduras (75.7 children killed per year per million of total population).
According to Telesur: “In Honduras, a child under 18 dies violently every day, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). UNICEF director Henrietta Fore Wednesday visited Honduras, which she emphasized is not a nation at war, though the rate of violence is astronomical. Since 2010, Honduras has been host to one of the highest murder rates in the world” [9]. Radio Havana reported: “Tegucigalpa, November 19 (PL-RHC)– Some 3,776 children have violently died in Honduras over the past six years, according to the Observatory of Violence of the National Autonomous University of Honduras” [10]. 3,776 children killed /(6 years x 8.317 million average population) = 75.67 children killed per year per million of total population (9.98 times greater than for the World).
Final comments and conclusions.
Apartheid Israel in its illegal and war criminal occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territories is among world leaders in “children killed per year per million of total territory population” with a value of 25.8 as compared to 75.7 (Honduras), 53.6 (Ituri Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo), 7.6 (the World), and 2.6 (Kashmir, India).
However while the killing in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is being done by the occupying military forces of the Apartheid State of Israel, that in Honduras is mostly being done by criminal gangs, and that in Ituri Province (Democratic Republic of the Congo) is mostly being done by criminal rebel gangs.
Recently Countercurrents published my detailed analysis showing that in killing journalists in the Occupied Palestinian Territory Apartheid Israel leads the World in terms of “average number of journalists killed per 10 million of population per year”: in Occupied Palestine, over 6.164; Syria, 4.733; Afghanistan, 2.563; Israel-Palestine, over 2.190; Somalia, 1.751; Yemen, 1.278; Iraq, 0.897; Mexico, 0.750; Colombia, 0.366; Philippines, 0.283; Pakistan, 0.152; World, 0.084; India, 0.027. On a per capita basis, the killing of journalists by Apartheid Israel in Occupied Palestine leads the World, and is 73.4 times greater than for the World as a whole. In contrast, India scores 3.1 times lower than the World [11].
I sent a summary of this analysis to journalists throughout the English-speaking World but the Silence was Deafening, except for a report quoting the Countercurrents article by Wafa, the Palestinian News & Info Agency [12]. Regrettably, but not surprisingly, the mendacious “journalists” (presstitutes) of the Zionist-subverted Western Mainstream media were unmoved by Apartheid Israel leading the world in the killing of fellow journalists.
The injunction “thou shalt not kill children” is so fundamental and so obvious to decent Humanity that it does not even have a mention in the Ten Commandments of the Holy Bible [13, 14]. However one seriously doubts whether Western Mainstream journalist, editor, politician, academic and commentariat presstitutes will report that Apartheid Israel is among world leaders in killing children.
The abuse and killing of children has a big impact on the survivors. Dr Susan Hillis and colleagues: “Evidence confirms associations between childhood violence and major causes of mortality in adulthood. A synthesis of data on past-year prevalence of violence against children will help advance the United Nations’ call to end all violence against children” [15]. A key survey has shown that 50% of Israeli children have been variously subject to psychological, physical, and sexual abuse (17% suffering sexual abuse)[16].
Further, in addition to 54,000 violent deaths of children in the World each year (see above), presently 5.3 million under-5 year old infants (100 times more) die each year world-wide, overwhelmingly in non-European countries, and overwhelmingly from deprivation and deprivation-exacerbated disease [17]. “Under-5 infant deaths per year per million of total population” (2020 data) is as follows: pro-apartheid Australia (43.8), Apartheid Israel (59.2), Europe (62.6), China (123.8), Honduras (421.0), Occupied Palestinian Territory (537.7), India (628.2), Non-European World (789.4), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (3,869.7) [17].
Thou shalt not kill children. Decent people must (a) inform everyone they can, (b) condemn nuclear terrorist, racist Zionist-run, genocidally racist, serial war criminal, human rights-abusing, child-killing and journalist-killing Apartheid Israel, and (c) urge and apply Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Apartheid Israel and all its supporters.
References
[1]. “Child homicide rate, 2015”, Our World in Data, https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/child-homicide-rate-per-100000
[2]. Defence for Children International Palestine, “2021 is deadliest year for Palestinian children since 2014”, 10 December 2021: https://www.dci-palestine.org/2021_is_deadliest_year_for_palestinian_children_since_2014 .
[3]. UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), “Global study on homicide. Killing of children and young adults”, 2019: https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/gsh/Booklet_6new.pdf .
[4]. UN Population Division World Population Prospects 2019: https://population.un.org/wpp/DataQuery/ .
[5]. Samaa, “894 children killed in Indian-occupied Kashmir in 30 years: report”, 21 November 2019: https://www.samaaenglish.tv/news/1906937/894-children-killed-in-indian-occupied-kashmir-in-30-years-report .
[6]. Geohive: “Jammu and Kashmir”: http://www.geohive.com/cntry/in-01.aspx .
[7]. Save the Children, “More than 100 Children Killed and Injured as Violence Intensifies in Ituri, DRC”, 14 August 2020: https://www.savethechildren.org/us/about-us/media-and-news/2020-press-releases/more-than-100-children-killed-injured-as-violence-intensifies-ituri-drc .
[8]. “DR Congo: ‘Relentless’ violence worsening plight of children in Ituri province”, UN News, 26 April 2021: https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/04/1090612 .
[9]. Telesur, “A Child Dies Violently in Honduras Every Day: UNICEF”, 5 April 2019: https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/A-Child-Dies-Violently-in-Honduras-Every-Day-UNICEF-20190405-0010.html .
[10]. Ivan Martinez, “More Than 3,700 Children Killed Over Past Six Years in Honduras”, Radio Havana International News, 20 November 2014: https://www.radiohc.cu/en/noticias/internacionales/39660-more-than-3700-children-killed-over-past-six-years-in-honduras .
[11]. Gideon Polya, “Remember Shireen Abu Akleh: Apartheid Israel Leads The World For Killing Journalists”, Countercurrents, 6 June 2022: https://countercurrents.org/2022/06/remember-shireen-abu-akleh-apartheid-israel-leads-the-world-for-killing-journalists/ .
[12]. Wafa (Palestinian News & Info Agency), “Analysis website Countercurrents: Apartheid Israel leads the world for killing journalists”, 11 June 2022: https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/129629 .
[13]. “Thou shalt not kill children”: http://thoushaltnotkillchildren.blogspot.com/ .
[14]. Gideon Polya , Neoliberal Americans Are Killing Children From Occupied Afghanistan To Newtown , Connecticut , USA”, Countercurrents, 18 December, 2012: https://countercurrents.org/polya181212.htm .
[15]. Susan Hillis, James Mercy, Adaugo Amobi, and Howard Kress, “Global Prevalence of Past-year Violence Against Children: A Systematic Review and Minimum Estimates”, Pediatrics, volume 137, issue 3, March 2016: https://www.publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article-abstract/137/3/e20154079/81439/Global-Prevalence-of-Past-year-Violence-Against?redirectedFrom=fulltext .
[16]. Gideon Polya, “Horrendous Pro-Zionist, Zionist And Apartheid Israeli Child Abuse Exposed”, Countercurrents, 21 April, 2014: https://countercurrents.org/polya210414.htm .
[17]. Gideon Polya, “Body Count. Global avoidable mortality since 1950”, Korsgaard Publishing, second edition, 2022.
Dr Gideon Polya taught science students at La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia over 4 decades. He published some 130 works in a 5 decade scientific career, notably a huge pharmacological reference text “Biochemical Targets of Plant Bioactive Compounds”. He has also published “Body Count. Global avoidable mortality since 1950” (2007, 2022) and “Jane Austen and the Black Hole of British History” (1998, 2008). He has recently published “US-imposed Post-9-11 Muslim Holocaust & Muslim Genocide” (2020), and “Climate Crisis, Climate Genocide & Solutions” (2020). For images of Gideon Polya’s huge paintings for the Planet, Peace, Mother and Child see: http://sites.google.com/site/artforpeaceplanetmotherchild/
