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Palestinian Children Traumatized After House Demolitions

A new study reports that Israeli demolitions of Palestinian houses in east Jerusalem are having a detrimental effect on the mental health of children who have lost their homes.
A Palestinian boy cries during the demolition of his house in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Beit Hanina February 5, 2013. A statement from the Jerusalem Municipality said there was a court order for the demolition of the house, which was built without a permit in an open landscape area where construction is forbidden. REUTERS/Ammar Awad (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST BUSINESS CONSTRUCTION) - RTR3DDR4

The 28 members of the extended Castiro family watched as Israeli forces demolished their home, in the Beit Hanina neighborhood of east Jerusalem, earlier this year. The defiant, angry Imran who yelled, screamed and cried at the scene of the demolition now feels as if his life has been drained out of him.

“I wake up at night panicking and cannot go back to sleep,” says Imran, 12. “I am tired in the morning and cannot go to school.”

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