Subscribe Feed (RSS)We visited the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme, where Dr. Zeyada, a psychologist, talked to us about the effects on the social fabric in Gaza. With the people already suffering terribly from the Hamas - Fatah infighting as well as the siege, the 22-day Israeli assault dealt a near deadly blow. The role of the father figure has undergone a dramatic change. With well over 50% unemployment due to the siege, children first saw their fathers unable to provide for their families. And during the war, they saw that their fathers were also unable to protect them. Many children have looked to other role models, and unfortunately make easy targets for recruiters in the armed resistance.
The staff of the GCMHP, which has three women’s and three children’s centers in Gaza, has seen striking changes in children following the recent war, with more aggressive behavior, a sharp decline in academic performance, lack of concentration and insecurity.
Dr. Zeyada also told us that the prolonged stress due to the conditions in Gaza has also hampered creative thinking. People no longer take initiative. He predicted that if the social, economic and political conditions do not change soon, the Palestinian society will no doubt become more aggressive.
The GCMHP recently organized an international conference in which many mental health experts from around the world were to participate. However, just shortly before the conference, which had been planned for nearly a year, Israel announced it would not allow the internationals entry to Gaza. Our group in Rome sent a solidarity message to the GCMHP and we also organized a fax blast to the Israeli Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni, calling on Israel to permit the health experts to attend the conference. Over 400 faxes were sent. We shared this with the staff of the GCMHP and they send their gratitude for our support.
We then talked a bit of politics with Dr. Zeyada. He said the main problem is that we are dealing with immature politicians. “I’m talking about Israelis here.” As a mental health professional, he talked about the feelings of guilt on the part of Zionists for what they are doing in the Occupied Territories and how that was preventing them from admitting it. “They are in denial. And they need our help. We must do more to reach out to Israelis. And the entire international community must stop treating Israel like a spoilt child, giving in on all her demands.” He was concerned, however, that mounting objection to Israeli policies would lead to acts of desperation.
Just two weeks prior to our visit, Dr. Zeyada’s 5-year-old daughter had asked him, “Why did God create the Jews?”
Category: in gaza
