Study: Palestinian children living in Silwan severely affected by Israeli aggression

Wafa– A recent study on Palestinian children living in Silwan, a town East of Jerusalem, showed that the academic standard of 76% of them has deteriorated, while 42% of them suffer from developmental disorders and nightmares as a result of Israeli army measures against them.

The study was conducted by a group of researchers and volunteers under the supervision of Fakhri Abu Diab, head of the committee for the defense of Silwan, on a sample of children aged 9 to 15 from various areas of Silwan.

Seven children from the sample are bedwetting at night, five suffer from permanent chills and hysteria episodes and one child suffers from constant stuttering, said the mothers in the study.

The study showed that 22% of the children suffer from apathy and lack of focus while 62% showed aggression against others.

Abu Diab said the committee is ready to cooperate with specialist institutions to address these childrens’ issues. He said children from al-Bustan, a neighborhood in Silwan, are the most at risk and suffering from multiple psychological disorders because of the constant Israeli threat of expulsion and demolition of their houses, in addition to raids, arrests and imprisonment.