semitism.net

My friend Alice Rothchild, who is the co-chair of a Boston-based anti-occupation group called Visions of Peace with Justice in Israel/Palestine, published this op ed piece last week in the Baltimore Sun. Alice was one of the organizers of the Jewish American Medical Project trip to the occupied territories this past February. She stayed an extra week with some other members of the Delegation, to visit Gaza and document medical conditions there…

In a recent trip to Gaza with a Jewish-American medical delegation, we witnessed the devastating consequences for the civilian population of years of Israeli military operations. The checkpoints, closures and the severe restriction on movement and economic activity have contributed to rising unemployment, poverty accompanied by unusually high rates of infant mortality, acute and chronic malnutrition and inadequate outpatient and hospital care.

The academic and medical institutions in Gaza are also severely stressed. Yet we were impressed by the resilience of those institutions. We also were impressed with the decency, moderation and endurance of the vast majority of Palestinians…

At the Gaza Community Mental Health Program, Dr. Eyad el Sarraj spoke of an entire population suffering from the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression, a consequence of high unemployment, extreme poverty and massive exposure to violence.

"The chronic disease of Palestinian life is settlers and settlements," remarked Dyaa Saymah, a mental health worker at the program.

We visited a family in southern Gaza where a child was suffering from PTSD after losing his father to Israeli army bullets and his home to a bulldozer. In the ghost town of Rafah, we stood in a sea of devastation - 1,500 demolished homes, crumpled concrete and twisted wire.

A recent study by the program of 10- to 19-year-olds in Gaza found that two-thirds have seen a friend or neighbor killed or wounded, more than one-third have been tear-gassed and 82 percent suffer from moderate to severe PTSD. We know that the more trauma and violence occur in a child’s youth, the more risk-taking and violence happen in later life.

Where is the talk of the psychological needs, human rights or financial compensation for these people? Are they any less human, any less entitled to a safe and healthy life than Jewish settlers?

 A good reminder of the impact of the occupation on average children and families; and also of the work remaining to be done to heal the scars already left by the conflict.

 Incidentaly, I’ve put together a partial list of U.S.-based organizations opposed to the occupation here, in case any readers are looking for ways to get involved.