Looking for Trouble

As she did last year, Gerri has organized a Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility delegation of doctors and other health care providers to work in hospitals and clinics in Gaza in an effort to directly help the people there and to bring attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis that the Israeli blockade has created. She has been sending back reports from inside and outside the Israeli blockade. This is her final post before returning to the United States. (While her flight was delayed in New York, Gerri added to this post.)

This morning, we traveled early to Haifa to attend the first part of a conference addressing a one-state solution. We met colleagues from Physicians for Human Rights, Israel, and learned of the work they are doing. Their representative, Sameeh, told us that PHR’s main objective is to get good access to health services for the West Bank and Gaza.

Sameeh described the difficulties in getting people to services – sometimes requiring that patients be taken long distances “out of the way” to get to nearby facilities that are almost inaccessible because of the separation Wall.

PHR is also working on a nutrition project – studying how the siege is affecting nutrition in Gaza. They are gathering and compiling information from NGOs in Gaza – focusing on what Israel allows to be taken into Gaza, on the prohibited fishing situation, and on agriculture.

Almost 48% of agriculture land in Gaza is not workable. The land in the buffer zone is not accessible and bombing has made much of the earth unsafe to farm. Most importantly, water is a critical issue in Gaza.

Sameeh reported that 95% of the water is contaminated and 80% of drinking water is privately supplied – an economic disaster. Many of the wells have been bombed. NGOs report that because of the contamination of the water, the growth of children is stunted. There will be an ongoing study by PHR on these issues.

Comments on a one-state solution varied from the hope for this possibility to an opinion that such a state already exists – but that many of the citizens (West Bank, Gaza and Palestinian Israelis) have few or limited rights.

During our visit to this region, we have heard many opinions about solutions to the current untenable divisions – with the majority of commentators to our group holding that a one-state solution is impossible and a two-state solution is a distant hope.

We had a walking tour of the Old City in Haifa and visited the lovely Bahai Gardens, then turned south to the airport.

We will fly home tonight – again grateful for this time and the wonderful people we know here.

(Here is Gerri’s add from New York.)

Hello from New York – Our plane will be a little late and I want to complete this blog with this message from a lovely 23-year-old woman from Gaza. Sahar is an interpreter and teacher and she sends this message to all:

Dear people on the other side of the land,

I am writing to yourselves from Gaza where insecurity and uncertainty and a second war, in every moment, is expected.

I write this and I am aware and sad that on the other side of the land, Palestinian rockets are expected, too. This needs to come to an end.

I, and most of my people, believe that people everywhere, regardless of their religious, political, cultural and social state, are entitled to peace and love; respect and dignity. You, the same as we, are entitled to a decent, safe life that no one on the planet has the right to violate and spoil.

If you believe in the above mentioned, you are my partner to start the first step towards peace, comprehensive and endurable for all.

May peace and love come to the world and to you,
Sahar Salem, Gaza, Occupied Palestinian Territories

As she did last year, Gerri has organized a Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility delegation of doctors and other health care providers to work in hospitals and clinics in Gaza in an effort to directly help the people there and to bring attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis that the Israeli blockade has created. She has been sending back reports from inside and outside the Israeli blockade.

Today felt like a bonus day. We waited for a meeting that didn’t happen, then were treated to an exquisite history and tour of East Jerusalem by Yohav, a member of the Israeli Committee Against Housing Demolitions. With brilliance and humor, Yohav dismantled Israel’s approach to occupation and settlement development.

Using maps, he demonstrated the diminution of Palestinian land and told us that Israel’s dilemma is, “land we want and people we don’t want.” The governmental expansion of what constitutes the municipality of Jerusalem from a relatively small area around the Old City to an area that stretches from Ramallah to Bethlehem was, he said, an effort to address that dilemma. By taking into Jerusalem Palestinian land which was sparsely populated and then walling out (with the Wall) more heavily populated Palestinian areas, Israel effectively protected their need for more land with a Palestinian minority – making Jerusalem ever more difficult to share. This process of walling out cut off families from relatives, children from schools, people from economic possibility and agricultural land from the people who own it.

He claimed that the decrease in suicide bombings is not due to the Wall, but more probably due to a very effective Israeli secret police force and a decision by Palestinians that suicide bombing was not being effective. Since 20,000 Palestinians move “illegally” into Israel every day to work (without a permit and by moving around the Wall), he held that it is illogical to believe that the Wall is the major cause for a decrease in suicide bombings.

Since the Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem pay the same taxes as the Jewish residents of East Jerusalem and should therefore have the same municipal services, Yohav invited us to compare the appearance of the two areas. West Jerusalem: modern roads and sidewalks; East Jerusalem: “where the sidewalk ends” along pot-holed roads. West Jerusalem: classrooms with twenty-plus students per classroom; East Jerusalem: in need of 1500 new classrooms and double-shifting its students. The Israeli Supreme Court has adjudicated this issue but only about one-third of the mandated classrooms are under construction and due for completion on the time-line established. West Jerusalem: modern sewage system; East Jerusalem: ancient septic systems that drain into the ground water and affect the health of the entire area, etc.

Building permits are rarely awarded to Palestinians in East Jerusalem and residents who build without a permit are fined and/or their home is destroyed. Since 1967, more than 25,000 Palestinian homes have been destroyed. New, permitted, construction is underway in East Jerusalem – for Jewish Israelis. We drove through Sheikh Jarrah – an area under present contention.

This afternoon, we traveled to Bethlehem to visit WPSR’s 1993 World Peacemaker Award winner, Zoughbi Zoughbi, director of Wi’am, The Palestinian Conflict Resolution Centre. Zoughbi talked with us about the political situation in Palestine, the devastating effects of the Wall on the people of his area, the problems with water (Israel turns controls the water to Bethlehem and recently turned off the water to the entire city for 13 days) and his constant hope that justice and peace will come.

Zoughbi is a member of the City Council of Bethlehem and very active in conflict resolution for the people of his city. As we walked with him to the Nativity Church, almost every person we passed greeted him by name.

In the Wi’am office, we met Amira – a delightful woman who is studying and writing about the Nakba. She related her tunnel experience in 2006. Unable to gain admission to Gaza, she walked and crawled through one of the tunnels – spent two weeks learning about the situation of that politically tumultuous time – then walked and crawled through a tunnel back to Egypt.

Having just seen the tunnel area in Rafah, we were stunned by the thought of this petite and courageous woman finding her way in and out of Gaza through this most dangerous route.

Reluctantly, we said goodbye to Zoughbi – our friend since the first WPSR visit to this area of the world in 1993. He has traveled with WPSR delegations to Iraq and Syria and throughout his home.

We wish for Zoughbi and all the people of this region a pathway to peace.

As she did last year, Gerri has organized a Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility delegation of doctors and other health care providers to work in hospitals and clinics in Gaza in an effort to directly help the people there and to bring attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis that the Israeli blockade has created. She has been sending back reports from inside the Israeli blockade.

As we said “goodbye” this morning to our friends in Gaza, we were acutely aware that, no matter what the stresses of crossing through the Erez checkpoint, we could freely leave – our friends cannot. Thankful for this time to serve in Gaza, we know that the solution lies not in temporary visitors, but in justice for the people – for the opportunity to live freely.

At the checkpoint, there were only a few Palestinians crossing – nearly all of them were temporarily leaving Gaza for medical care that is not available in Gaza. One tiny little boy with a dialysis shunt in place left with us. He was traveling with his grandmother who told us he is ten years old – although he looked at maximum two years. He moaned and cried out from his wheelchair throughout the long walk between the Palestinian entry point and the Israeli exit. We were thankful he is able to receive care, but wished he did not have to make this arduous journey. We wished again for the citizens of Gaza to have full access to care in their homeland.

As we rode through Israel into Jerusalem, we noted the fields of blossoms and vibrant agriculture along the way – and the presence of F16 fighter jets over our heads. We had heard from a friend that bombs were dropped yesterday by Israel in Gaza – none of us had heard the explosions, but tonight’s news told of further destruction along the “no man’s land” area of Gaza. The F16s were a reminder of the tenuous nature of life in Gaza.

The Old City beckoned and most of our group toured through the market areas and some of the sacred sites of Jerusalem. Tonight, Hillel Schenker – long time friend, member of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War and co-editor of the Palestine-Israel Journal – and David Helfand, son of our friend, Ira, National PSR Board member, joined us at the Notre Dame for dinner. David, a U.S. citizen, is living temporarily on a kibbutz between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and is planning to pursue Middle East studies. Hillel has lived most of his life in Israel and gave us some of his views on the current complex situation and his hope that the present opportunity for peace will be realized. Hillel is a strong supporter of peace and a two-state solution. We spoke of the potential for a one-state solution, but were advised that this is an unlikely solution – promoted more often by U.S. citizens than by residents of Israel or Palestine.

Tomorrow, we will meet with three Israeli groups who work for peace – then travel to Bethlehem to meet with Zoughbi Zoughbi, director of Wi’am, The Palestinian Conflict Resolution Centre.

As she did last year, Gerri has organized a Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility delegation of doctors and other health care providers to work in hospitals and clinics in Gaza in an effort to directly help the people there and to bring attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis that the Israeli blockade has created. She has been sending back reports from inside the Israeli blockade.

Our final day for this visit to Gaza – with more surgeries and clinic visits, more consultations and visits with the people we encounter. In this pressure-cooker environment, it is amazing that people are friendly, gracious, and – there’s that word again – resilient.

This evening, we were treated to a farewell gathering in the lovely garden of the home of Dr. Eyad Sarraj, his wife and two of his sons.

Among the family’s guests was John Ging, head of UNRWA and its 10,000 employees in Gaza. Ging, a lawyer, previously served in Rwanda, Bosnia and Kosovo. He has been repeatedly recognized for his fair and hopeful work in Gaza – insisting that Palestinians have been known for their vast majority wish for peace.

As he spoke with us tonight, about the recent threat to the UNRWA Summer Games site and the threats on his life, as well as about broader topics such as the siege and the effects of this internationally illegal collective punishment of the people of Gaza, we were impressed by his wisdom and dedication to finding to support the people of the Middle East. He assured us that the Summer Games will be held and that the Hamas government is working to assure the safety of the games.

Laura Hart wrote this tonight:

As I prepare to leave Gaza I am struck again by the contrasts. The complexity of the surgeries Rich performed and the consultations I had with patients, pales in comparison to the challenge of the everyday life of the average Gazan and the politics of this region.

This afternoon when I rode back up the West Coast of the Gaza Strip, small fishing boats in the foreground, I caught sight of an Israeli war ship patrolling at the three-mile offshore border they established. Another very large speedboat traversed the horizon at the same point.

It is hard to imagine life with this constant reminder of the open-air prison in which Gazans live. On the other side of this narrow strip of land, along the border of Israeli, long-settled Palestinian farmers face anxiety from the ever-present Israeli Defense Forces, simply for cultivating their fields. Random shots into the fields are common.

For all the intricate surgeries we performed on children and the joy this brought to their parents, I am sad that for some I saw, the appropriate medical therapy is not available in Gaza. They must wait, hope and pray for permission to cross into either Egypt or Israel where medical supplies and resources are consistently available.

It is not for lack of interest or enthusiasm on the part of the doctors and other health care providers that health care is limited. The sanctions on the Gaza Strip since Hamas was democratically elected in 2006, exact an onerous toll on all the people. Since Operation Cast Lead in late 2008 and early 2009, building supplies are nigh impossible to obtain.

John Ging told us this evening that there is a need for 100 new schools in Gaza. Classrooms are critically over-crowded – so much so that school children rotate classes – not just half/day classes, but sometimes they have two classes indoors and one class in the dirt yard outside their school, so that other children may use the classrooms.

As an example of the spirit of the people here – I was touched this evening when the owner of the number one gelato shop in Gaza, Kasam’s, treated us when he heard about our volunteer work in Gaza.

He said, “I love the American people.” The gelato was excellent, but he said it was better in the past when he could get the ingredients from Italy. He envisions the day when he is able to make gelato the way he knows it can be made.

I was reminded tonight, that ultimately it’s not about politics, it’s about the people – people who share the same dreams and aspirations, hopes and fears that we do. I am buoyed by the remarkable vision and drive of the young people we meet, whether they are physicians, technicians, interpreters or teachers. Today, Mohammed, who has been interpreting for me during the last ten days, acknowledged that his wife noted he seemed happier than she’d seen him in months since he lost his job. For him, working with us reminded him of the world outside the Gaza strip and the possibilities of justice, tolerance and empathy.

Thank you to Gaza. So many people have made Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility’s journey to Gaza possible. We thank particularly the staff of the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme: Dr. Eyad Sarraj, Dr. Ahmed Abu Tahwahina, Husam El Nounou, Dr. Yasser Abu Jamee and Heba El Sadeq. For their direct and constant care and attention, we thank Marwan Diab, Amani Malwan Naouq, Wejdan Byomi, Asharf Qandeel, Azza Rady, Rana Ayyad, Osama Ramlwy and Vera Macht – and all of the wonderful people whose names we have failed to gather but will forever carry in our hearts by face and spirit.

The physicians and staff of Al Shefa Hospital, the Public Aid Hospital and Al Awda Hospital received us and encouraged our work. The women of the Women Empowerment Programs and Clinics were our teachers. The staff of the Islamic University welcomed us and our participation. We are very grateful.

We were hosted at Marna House – now our home in Gaza –and are thankful to the wonderful staff for making us feel welcome. As we move to Jerusalem Wednesday morning, we look forward to our next visit to Gaza.

As she did last year, Gerri has organized a Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility delegation of doctors and other health care providers to work in hospitals and clinics in Gaza in an effort to directly help the people there and to bring attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis that the Israeli blockade has created. She will be sending back reports from inside the Israeli blockade.

This, our next-to-the-last day in Gaza has been full of activity – a day that began last evening.

Our beloved friend, Dr. Eyad Sarraj, first director of the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme, returned from abroad and spent the evening with us, reviewing the current situation – its challenges and hopes.

Eyad is revered in his community and internationally for his wisdom. He spoke of the war on Gaza and the ongoing siege – the need for justice and peace in the Middle East and the reality that the international community seems unable to insist on this.

After this morning’s assigned work in hospitals and clinics, our group gathered to meet with the Prime Minister of Gaza, Ismail Haniya. The Prime Minister related his hopes for a future of peace and stability for Gaza and for the Middle East.

Questioned about the destruction to the UNWRA Summer Games site and threats on the life of John Ging, (the head of UNRWA) he spoke strongly about his condemnation of the action, about his good relationship with John Ging, his commitment to John Ging’s security and about his determination to discover and prosecute the perpetrators of the recent destruction.

He stated that he has sent three delegations to meet with John Ging: the Deputy Minister of Health, security people and leadership people from Hamas to show solidarity. While the amount of destruction was not large (one tent burned), Haniya wanted us to know that this action of destruction does not reflect the nature of the Palestinian people.

Following our meeting, we traveled to the affected UNRWA site – no one was being allowed to enter – where security guards were present in abundance and photography was not allowed. A demonstration protesting the damage was quietly underway.

At UNRWA headquarters we held a press conference. Dr. Sarraj and David Hall spoke about the imperative need for actions of destruction to end – that the Palestinian leadership must take steps to assure the people of Gaza, Palestine and the world that Gaza will not tolerate such actions.

Half of our delegation then returned to work. There are many opportunities to serve in Gaza – surgically, medically and psychologically – and only one day left in this visit.

The people here are continuously generous and gracious and we were pleased tonight when we celebrated the birthday of Anne Hall, to have new Palestinian friends join our celebration. Happy Birthday Anne!

And then, at the end of the day, we happened to see one of our friends from GCMHP as he was leaving the restaurant of the Marna House where we are staying. With our friend, Husam, was a gentleman who works with environmental issues in Gaza. His specialty is water and we had a conversation about the problems with water and the soil. He related, as we have heard before, that the soil in northern and central Gaza is polluted with nitrites – chiefly due to unprocessed sewage contamination. An increase in cancers is thought to relate to this nitrite pollution. In the southern part of Gaza, chlorides in the soil – coming from sea water incursion into the aquifer – are believed to be causing an increase in kidney problems. This man promised to send us more information on the work his agency is doing to study these problems. He indicated that research is needed – true for all of Gaza as this challenged land, this prison, struggles to survive.