Israel: The only democracy in the Middle East ... "It would be a good idea"

"I think it would be a good idea" (Mahatma Gandhi in reply to a reporter who asked "What do you think of Western Civilization?")

"Palestine belongs to the Arabs in the same sense that England belongs to the English or France to the French. It is wrong and in-human to impose the Jews on the Arabs" (Mahatma Gandhi)

"I believe that Gandhi's views were the most enlightened of all the political men of our time. We should strive to do things in his spirit: not to use violence for fighting for our cause, but by non-participation of anything you believe is evil" (Albert Einstein)

In weather, more the revenge of Gaia than ultra bad, after their testimony at the Galway Inter-Faith Alliance organised; A Commemoration of the Life and Work of Mahatma Gandhi, three Palestinians joined Free Palestine Campaign activists at their Shop Street info stall last Saturday, Dr. George Rishmawi, Director of Siraj, Center for Holy Land Studies, Dr. Mohamed Altawil, Dr. of Psychology, University of Hertfordshire, UK and Tareq Natsheh of the Palestine Progressive Youth Union.

Yesterday, at the, again, Inter-Faith Alliance (gifa@eircom.net) organised workshop “covering the experience of the application of non-violence in pursuit of social justice, tolerance and respect for cultural diversity from around different areas of Palestine” in the Menlo Park Hotel, Dr. Altawil highlighted the chilling and horrific fact that 41% of Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or put another way, out of a Gaza Strip population of 1.4 million, 305,195 children are in urgent need of psychological, social and medical services in the areas of prevention, counselling, rehabilitation and therapeutic treatment - a recent Palestine Trauma Centre report discovered that 97% of Palestinian children have been exposed to the sound of explosions/bombs, 84% have witnessed shelling by tanks, artillery or military planes and 99% have suffered humiliation either to themselves or a family member.

Established in 2007 as a charitable institution and based in Gaza City, the Palestine Trauma Centre for Victims’ Welfare has already developed a team of seventy volunteers of doctors, psychiatrists, social workers, nurses and psychological counsellors, furnished the Centre and established a children’s game hall and computer lab, established Family Psycho-Social Support Programme and Rapid Response Programmes for rapid intervention where Palestinians are exposed to the destructive activities of the occupation, such as the demolition of houses, bulldozing of land and the killing or wounding of children, provided material relief for needy Palestinian families such as food baskets or even a sheep for Eid al-Adha; the religious festival celebrated by Muslims and Druze worldwide as a commemoration of God's forgiveness of Ibrahim (Abraham) from his vow to sacrifice his son, as commanded by Allah. According to their info leaflet, "the PTC also offers psychological help for victims of trauma as an online free-of-charge service – the aid provided in cooperation with the Berlin Centre for the Treatment of Victims of Torture, in which the sufferer get access to the appropriate treatment for a period of five weeks under the supervision of a network of Arab specialists".

If you want to make a one-off or monthly donation, the details are;
Bank Details: HSBC Bank plc (UK)
Account Name: PTC
Sort Code: 40-23-19
Bank Account Number: 71534386
IBAN: GB08 MIDL 402319 71534386

The website of the Siraj Center for Holy Land Studies states that it is "a non-governmental organization based in Beit Sahour, Palestine that aims to create links between Palestinian people and people from around the globe through educational tourism, interfaith and ecumenical dialogue, and culture and youth exchange programs. Through its many local connections, Siraj works directly with communities and organizations in Bethlehem and the West Bank. Through its connection with the Rapprochement Center and the Greek Catholic Church, Siraj has broadened its impact, reaching out to grassroots communities throughout the Holy Land". http://www.sirajcenter.org/index.php?option=com_content...mid=6

The website of the Palestinian Progressive Youth Union states that it "is a popular democratic non-governmental institution with national pedagogical and social functions. The Unions membership includes Palestinian Youth that believe in freedom and social development, and strive to achieve their legitimate goals and aspiration within the general goals of the Palestinian society. Its also an effective member in the Palestinian youth council. The Palestinian Progressive Youth Union strives to achieve the dream of every Palestinian in self-determination, the right to return and the independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. Increasing the sense of belonging, democracy, social and recreational level among the Palestinian youth is a mandate of the Union" http://farah.dyne.org/youthcamp/

On Saturday 11th October 2008 at 4PM, the IPSC is hosting the Irish premiere of the new documentary film: ‘Jerusalem: East Side Story’ by acclaimed Palestinian director Mohammad Alatar who also directed The Iron Wall in the The Harbour Hotel, Galway Docks. The film will be followed by a question and answers session with Mohammad http://www.eastsidestory.ps/

“The air above Jerusalem is filled with prayers and dreams. Like air above cities with heavy industry. Hard to breathe. From time to time a new shipment of of history arrives" (late Israeli poet, Yehuda Amichai).

Dr. Mohamed Altawil (in the middle)

Adnan Shabab, Head of Public Relations, General Delegation of Palestine, Dublin.