In recent weeks, there have been numerous examples of Palestinian children and teens being recruited and exploited by Palestinian terrorist groups to aid in their attacks on Israelis.

In one of the most high-profile incidents, the Israeli army caught a 16-year old Palestinian boy wearing an explosive belt at a checkpoint on March 26. The dramatic scene of the youth removing his vest was caught on videotape and broadcast around the world.

The terrorists appear to increasingly focus their attention on children because they are easily impressionable, satisfied by small amounts of money, and are less likely to be scrutinized by Israeli soldiers looking for bombs and weapons at checkpoints. These children are assigned to perpetrate attacks, attend violent demonstrations and confrontations against IDF soldiers, smuggle bombs and weapons, and stand guard during terrorist operations and meetings.

Sometimes children are not even aware of the fact they are involved in terrorist activities, and are unknowingly sent to transport bombs and other weapons, as in the case of the 12-year old Palestinian boy was unknowingly given a bomb to smuggle across a roadblock on March 22.

The pressure on these children is compounded by their society where suicide bombers are venerated as martyrs and heroes. In schools, mosques, in summer camps, on children’s television programs and in music video, the martyr is upheld as the highest accomplishment in Palestinian society. Palestinian children are taught that there is nothing more honorable than dying in the fight against Israel.

There are a number of voices among Palestinian leaders, however, condemning the manipulation of children by terrorists. In an interview with the Associated Press, Palestinian Minister Saeb Erekat said that “Our children need hope and a future, and they must not become suicide terrorists. We want them to be doctors or engineers.”

Amnesty International issued a statement on March 24 calling the use of children to carry out or assist in armed attacks of any kind an “abomination.” The statement called on the Palestinian leadership to publicly denounce these practices and warned that "Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas, Islamic Jihad and al-Aqsa Martyrs's brigades, must put an immediate end to the use or involvement of any kind of children in armed activity."

The following is a list of recent incidents where Palestinian children were recruited by terrorists:

• March 26, 2004 – A 16-year old boy was sent by the Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades to blow himself up. As he was caught by the IDF at a checkpoint he said, “when the soldiers stopped me, I didn't press the switch. I changed my mind. I didn't want to die anymore.”
  
  
• March 22, 2004 – A 12-year old Palestinian boy was unknowingly given a bomb to smuggle across a roadblock. The plan was to detonate the bomb once the boy reached the checkpoint, essentially making the boy a suicide bomber without his even knowing.
  
  
• March 16, 2004 – Militants gave an 11-year old boy explosives to smuggle into Israel. When the boy was caught at a roadblock he was not aware that he was carrying explosives.
  
  
• March 7, 2003 – Palestinian terrorists used children as “human shields” in a fight at el-Bureij.
  
  
• February 26, 2004 – Three boys aged 13, 14, and 16 were caught on their way to perpetrate a shooting attack in Afula. The 16 year old had been recruited by Islamic Jihad.
  
  
• February 12, 2003 – A group of four boys were hired to cross from the Palestinian side of Rafah to the Egyptian side as part of an attempt to smuggle weapons to Israel from Egypt.
  
  
• January 11, 2004 – A 17 year old high school student blew himself up near IDF troops in Jinsafut. Fatah’s Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades and Islamic Jihad took joint responsibility for the act.