PARIS, Jan 22: A French TV documentary broadcast on Monday on a French television network, Arte, claims that the situation of Palestinian children has significantly worsened since the start of the second Intifada, and that 85 per cent of children living in the occupied territories have seen their psychological condition become precarious.

According to the documentary, Des Cailloux dans la Tete (Pebbles in the head), authored by Helene Gauthier for Sunset-Presse, non-governmental organizations like Medecins Sans Frontieres (The French Doctors) have had to step up the psychological services they provide to Palestinian children living in the occupied territories as a result of the stepped up bombardment and night-time incursions by Israel.

The documentary also reveals that nearly 200 children have been killed in the occupied territories since the start of the intifida, and that 166 of them are Palestinian, whereas only 26 are Israeli.

Still, it’s the situation of the 6,000 children - mostly Palestinian - who have been physically wounded, that has been providing a problem for local authorities. Moreover, their psychological condition is considered much graver than that of their elders who were wounded during the first intifida.

Which is why international organizations like MSF have decided to step up the level of psychological support they offer.

In the words of one of the French Doctors, Didier DeGregorio, “their condition is not difficult to understand. In two hours’ time they see their parents’ houses destroyed. Some of the children stutter, others can no longer sleep at night. We try to help them put words on their suffering, but their situation is much more complex than you would think.”

The documentary quotes the father of some nine children who’s just seen his house destroyed by Tsahal as saying: “my image is definitely destroyed for my children. They tell me, ‘the Israelis came today and you were not able to do anything.’”