CRC/C/ISR/CO/2-4 Freedom of the child from all forms of violence 43. The Committee is deeply concerned about the climate of violence in which Palestinian and Israeli children live, especially during explosions caused by rocket attacks, air strikes and shelling. The Committee is also gravely concerned about the psychological violence inflicted on Palestinian children who witness their parents being beaten or humiliated and the demolition of their homes, and about the long-term consequences of this violence on these children. 44. Recalling the recommendations of the United Nations study on violence against children of 2006 (A/61/299), the Committee recommends that the State party prioritize the elimination of all forms of violence against children and to refrain from adopting and implementing policies that exacerbate rather than diminish violence resulting from the conflict. The Committee further recommends that the State party take into account its general comment No. 13 (2011) on the right of the child to freedom from all forms of violence, and in particular: (a) Develop a comprehensive national strategy to prevent and address all forms of violence against children; (b) Adopt a national coordinating framework to address all forms of violence against children; (c) Pay particular attention to and address the racist and gender dimension of violence; (d) Cooperate with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children and other relevant United Nations institutions. F. Family environment and alternative care (arts. 5, 18 (paras. 1-2), 9-11, 19-21, 25, 27 (para. 4) and 39 of the Convention) Family environment 45. The Committee welcomes the measures adopted by the State party to provide assistance and support services to parents and legal guardians in the performance of their child-rearing responsibilities, including the provision of income support benefits to families which do not earn the minimum level of income, as well as the 2007 amendment to the Sick Day Payment Law which entitles parents of children with disabilities to additional leave days to care for their children. The Committee is however concerned about the situation of children of asylum seekers, refugees and migrant workers who are left in mass babysitting or alone in apartments or in the streets without any support from social services during the time their parents work outside the home. 46. The Committee urges the State party to take concrete measures to ensure that social support is provided to all parents who cannot afford private after school programmes for their children and have no choice but to leave their children alone while they work. Special attention should be paid to children in particularly vulnerable situations, such as children of asylum seekers, refugees and migrant workers. Children deprived of a family environment 47. While noting the positive efforts made by the State party to accelerate the development of new residential-care models, such as community-based residential settings and group homes in the child’s home community, the Committee remains concerned that only a small proportion of children are placed in foster care compared to those placed in residential institutions. The Committee also expresses concern that in 2008, the Israeli 11

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