PALESTINIAN freedom fighter Ahed Tamimi insisted that revolution was necessary to defeat occupation as she called on delegates at a major Latin American conference to support their struggle for liberty and justice.

Ms Tamimi was speaking via a video message to the Clacso conference in Argentina when she highlighted the “suffering of children” in Israeli prisons, describing the incarceration as a form of torture.

According to statistics from the Israeli military 239 Palestinian children were held in Israeli prisons as security detainees and prisoners, with three held under administrative detention, meaning they can be detained indefinitely.

Ms Tamimi spent eight months in prison after she slapped two Israeli soldiers who routinely harassed her and her family and had recently shot her cousin, leaving him in a coma.

“Huge pressure is applied, under the threat of hurting your family, of beating you, psychological torture, denial of sleep,” she explained.

“Your imprisonment is torture in itself, to take away your liberty, your right to go out and play like any child.”

Ms Tamimi said she was denied family visits in prison. “Psychologically, this damages you greatly.”

The Palestinian teenager became an iconic symbol of resistance while she was in prison with an international campaign demanding her release. She insists that resistance is the only option for Palestinians living under Israeli occupation.

“We inherit the revolution. Palestinians see themselves as fighters for liberty, not victims. So I hope that you too can see us as fighters for liberty.”

Ms Tamimi called on those gathered to support the Palestinian cause.

“Support us in the struggle to obtain the most sublime gift which is liberty, justice and democracy. That’s the best way to support us,” she said.