Contrasting the Fundamental Rights of the Israeli Regime with the Obligations of the Convention on the Rights of the Child: Violation of the Best Interests of the Child in the Jewish Nation-State Law

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Law Faculty, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

2 Diplomacy department, School of International Relation

Abstract

According to Article 2 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, all children within a country's territory are entitled to the rights outlined in the Convention without discrimination. This means that no country can deprive children of any rights or impose restrictions on their exercise based on their legal status. One such crucial right is the best interests of the child, which is underscored in Article 3(1) of the Convention as follows: "In all actions concerning children, whether carried out by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities, or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.
However, in 2018, the Israeli Knesset passed the Israel Nation-State Law, which the Israeli Supreme Court recognized as part of Israel's constitutional rights in 2021. Given that Israel is a party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the critical question arises as to whether the best interests of Palestinian children have been upheld under this law.
Since the enactment of the nation-state law, an increasing number of Palestinian children living under occupation have faced death and endured mass violence and persecution. Statistics reveal that in 2018, the year of the law's approval in the Knesset, 57 children were killed in the occupied territories, compared to 7 Palestinian children killed in 2021, the year the law was acknowledged as a fundamental right. This indicates a clear violation of the right to life following the adoption of Israel's nation-state law.
Furthermore, by exclusively recognizing the right to self-determination for the Jewish nation, the law overlooks the national identity rights of Palestinian children, often derived from their citizenship. This exclusive right for Jews effectively renders Palestinian children as foreigners in their own ancestral land.
Moreover, the nation-state law promotes Israeli settlement in predominantly Palestinian areas, considering it a national value. By encouraging such settlements, Palestinians face land confiscation, severe movement restrictions, and reduced access to resources. This has led to a decrease in available land for Palestinian housing and infrastructure development, resulting in forced evictions and displacement of Palestinian families and communities. In 2021, the Human Rights Council reported over 70 families in the Sheikh Jarrah region experiencing forced eviction. The escalation of violence following the law's enactment has further compelled Palestinians to abandon their lands, with 410 attacks carried out by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the first ten months of 2021 alone, making life in the occupied territories nearly untenable.
Beyond displacement, the nation-state law has had detrimental effects on the health of Palestinian children. Growing up amidst violence not only directly harms children but also leads to mental health issues such as anxiety, distress, separation anxiety, hypervigilance, and PTSD, as evidenced by a 2021 study on Palestinian children living near Israeli settlements. Exposure to violence and mental trauma exacerbates the conflict and increases child mortality and health issues.
Additionally, the right to education of Palestinian children is compromised by the nation-state law. Settlement construction impedes access to educational facilities, and children face additional obstacles such as Israeli military checkpoints, resulting in missed classes due to lengthy journeys. Furthermore, schools in the occupied territories are subject to harassment, including stone-throwing and gunfire, contributing to learning disorders among Palestinian children.
As legislative bodies are obligated to prioritize the best interests of the child in all actions, the Israeli government was duty-bound to consider the best interests of Palestinian children when approving the nation-state law. However, by violating their right to life, identity, health, standard of living, and education, Israel has clearly failed to uphold their best interests, which are intrinsic to their rights as children.

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References

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