 This morning, I'd like to invite all of you who are listening to think about the children of Palestine to think about what it's like to grow up under occupation and on a daily basis one is is in an Environment where one money going to church going to school going to churches. Yes, there's mosque Walked by walls and military checkpoints and And armed armed soldiers with guns and what's the psychological impact of that is on the children and the generations growing up one of the most disturbing Meetings we had emotionally disturbing and challenging meetings with a group called defense of children International in Ramallah, and it was echoed by information we received from that Salem Human rights organization in Israel and this concerned the detention of Palestinian children Children of the ages of 12 to 18 So we're not tried in civilian courts, but I tried in military courts Some 500 to 700 are convicted a year and there's a 99% conviction rate 70 70% of these children are convicted for the act of throwing stones often out of soldier about Many are taken 50 to 60% from their homes in the middle of the night blindfolded and tough We've deprived and transported in military vehicles They're interrogated without family members presence and often without a lawyer presence. Although that is their right Sentences can be from three to 12 months in prison and Unicef regards this military tension is something that remains widespread Systematic and pervasive There are 25 documented cases last year of children put into solitary confinement For on average of 16 days My personal background has been dealing with survivors of residential school For five years I worked for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Which was the first commission in the world to focus on the childhood Experiences the childhood trauma of children. So I'm acutely aware of the intergenerational impact on children and on their families of Experiences of trauma. It's a story very familiar to the people in Israel as well And so that's something that the new best deeply and deserves There's a tension one of the things we recommended to the Canadian government as a Delegation was to urge the government to closely monitor and report on the treatment of Palestinian children Arrested by Israeli forces and prosecuted in the military court system And I hope this morning you will think about what it's like and Consider consider how we might support them