I am writing at this time having just returned from a most extraordinary descent into a world that few have ever experienced. Unfortunately, the effective screening of news in the US by media-Nazis such as the out-Fox (ed) "not really the news" and other not so creative screening so-called news agencies leave Americans with a view which is very different than the one from the ground. Until this time I have been reluctant to write freely knowing that my mail was being well screened and not wanting to end up in the cross hairs .
I am going to first relate some of my Gaza visions and in a later mail perhaps more on the West Bank. My plan is to eventually write a publication from a more scholarly perspective. For now, this is both my reacclimation and personal debriefing in addition to being driven by my life long belief in social justice activism.
First , we were there to assess the need for critical services related to the recent massacre by the Israeli Government (please note that I specifically refer to the Israeli Government for just as not all Americans were culpable under the tyranny of George Bush, neither are the Israelis all responsible for their governmental atrocities). For most folks the concept of Gaza is difficult to grasp. Gaza is an 18 mile strip of land along the eastern Mediterranean occupied by 1.5 million Palestinians, less following the massacre, now and historically totally isolated from the world. Even friends and family a few miles away on the West Bank are unable to visit this prison called Gaza.
Entering through a massive terminal at the border under tremendous scrutiny and Israeli poking and jabbing begins about a mile walk through the fenced in DMZ where one arrives at the gates of terror. Once inside you are confronted by a mix of donkey carts, vintage cars, and bombed out buildings, ghetto-like streets and a smathering of modernity in the mix.
We found our way to our hotel which we were informed is the last one fully intact and began what was to be the meeting of a kind and gentle populous. The hotel itself could be rated minus 5 star as the rooms were small and dingy, mattress a couple of inches thick and the resemblance of shower being a hose with a sprinkler head coming out of the wall next to a drain and a shower curtain hung from the ceiling, All of this the least of our concerns,
We then moved on to meet with the General Director of the Community Mental Health Center. To my surprise, we were similarly trained and of the same mind regarding services. What was painfully clear was that these folks have been inundated with ideologies, concepts, theories and programs all which were useless in this environment.
My feeling is that almost all of these are useless even in so called healthier environments. For many years I have been openly skeptical of most psychological theory and practice, particularly so called evidence based models and this conversation and our subsequent experiences in Gaza solidified my beliefs. Asking these folks how they feel or to remember childhood events now or in the future would in my opinion be no less than cruel.
I will expand on these issues in my article. Let it suffice to say at this time that many who have a belief that they know how to treat this population may be dangerous to their health.
Then what did we do? Visited many wonderful facilities, some fairly modern and then into the bowels of the community. The picture is etched clearly in my mind with faces and places that I will keep forever. Not from a so called PTSD perspective, in my opinion another over stated construct, but rather from a place where I found strength among the exhausted, hope among the devastated, resilience and most of all love and caring. My memories, although in some ways horrific, are also balanced with beauty.
We witnessed mothers who collected body parts of children, children who watched their mothers bleed to death for days and evil and insidious destruction of homes and families of arguably the most innocent of the population. Homes were bombed at random, sprayed with bullets, and then the finishing touch of bringing large bulldozers to damage these well constructed homes of steel and cement. Yes when the only weapons these folks had were sticks and donkey carts, bringing bulldozers is no more dangerous for the Israeli soldiers than working on the average construction site in the US.
I have many photos which I was always in fear of having confiscated. The most moving which you will see is that of a 93 year old man holding the baby of his daughter who bled to death while trying to flee her home.
A few words about the three days of workshops I conducted with the very skilled staff of the mental health centers. The title was "Community Empowerment- Respecting and Utilizing the Strengths of Gaza". First pyscho-pathology was a non-issue and the DSM IV was totally discarded with the exception of sorting out drug dependence from drug abuse a mantra often recited by my dear friend Norm Hoffmann. I spent three moving days asking these folks to practice using indigenous resources to empower and support a very resilient population to move forward. Much of the work we did was what one might label as structural family counseling but I abandoned technique and theory for the use of personal strength and resources. We dealt with current family issues; they did the work, I simply provided a catalyst and third eye view for moving forward . The most poorly trained and inexperienced counselors are those who cling to ideology that has no connection with the real world. In their maturity they may come to the realization that being able to say " I don't know" is their real strength and when specific advice is given, therapy as such ends. Again, more particulars in my article .
The experience of lying in bed and hearing sonic booms from the bombs, the spraying of automatic weapons and the constant vision of orphaned children is, at a minimum, life changing. Our daily routines for the week we were there consisted of awakening to a breakfast that at first was indistinguishable as eggs which, in short time, became to be viewed as gourmet. Our daily professional activities were followed by a meal which was surprisingly tasty and back to the room for the many hours before we were to begin again. The lifeline to civility was the Internet which was, although weak at times, mostly available. My daily feelings were focused on those related to caring about the Gaza population with my personal anguish only be felt upon escaping. The sense of impending doom was always in the air for both Ric and me and the entire Gaza population, so maligned, so misunderstood. These are folks with very little who would be willing to share half of their meager supplies with us if asked. There are no goods and services, supplies, building materials, auto parts etc., etc., etc., only food is allowed through the blockade.
Following warm farewells and deeply meaningful exchanges, we began our escape. There were almost no foreigners in Gaza save for a few UN types . We were the only folks staying in our hotel.
Perhaps the most frustrating feeling is that the world sits idle while this continues.
My friends, this is NOT a political issue, it is one of human rights. This must end now. Regardless of political differences, all people deserve to be free, treated with respect and dignity and at a minimum, be afforded basic human goods and services, no one should be forced to live under siege! A prison without bars is still a prison and this is one without visiting privileges. The people are not free to leave Gaza; relatives and friends may not enter and essential materials for dally living are restricted.
Decent folks everywhere must join together and in one loud voice tell the world that this is not acceptable!
Peace,
Bob
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