[casi-analysis] Medical evidence of Arab genocide (S1)

[NABA <naba@DELETETHISnaba.org.uk>]

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Dear friend

Last week, Derek Summerfield addressed the health issues in Palestine,
as part of Israeli genocide of the Arabs in Palestine. Those who did not
have a chance to read it, can access it by clicking the following link.

http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/329/7471/924?ehom

NABA's chairman, Dr Ismail Jalili, also wrote about the subject and his
letter was included on the same site entitled: Palestine: a state of
despair (included at the bottom of this page). We also appreciate the
many positive responses we received following the circular we sent.

This week, the issue of Arab genocide in Iraq is addressed in the Lancet
in a major article by Les Roberts and colleagues and in a Comment by
Richard Horton. The article estimates the human losses to be in the
region of 100,000 with the majority of these deaths being in women and
children. (You can access them on the web through the following link):

http://image.thelancet.com/extras/04art10342web.pdf   and
http://image.thelancet.com/extras/04cmt384web.pdf

This state of affair has been ongoing with very little outcry from the
'democratic world', let alone the non-democratic world. The current
spate of such publications in reputable medical journals is to be
applauded, particularly if we are to keep the level of public awareness
in the west regarding these appalling situations.

N A B A

Letter to the BMJ: Palestine: the state of despair.
By Dr Ismail Jalili
Consultant Ophthalmologist, UK.

        Summerfield's article1 on Palestine adds to the previously
documented health crisis in this population 2-5 and demonstrates the
scale of this human tragedy.
        Indiscriminate obstruction damages an already vulnerable medical
infrastructure resulting in increased morbidity, degraded health,
premature deaths, and non-fulfillment of basic human needs2. Repeated
invasions cause extensive destruction, food shortages, internal civilian
displacement and psychological distress 3.   Poor socio-economic,
demographic and environmental health conditions lead to over-crowding,
affects drinking water sources and play a major role in the occurrence
of intestinal parasites and diarrhoea with under 5s at highest risk.
Endemic parasitic infestations were found in 29.8% of women4, 24.1% in
1-4 years old; and 13.7% of diarrhoea admissions with 10.6% mainly in <1
year olds.
        Injuries rose sharply, a staggering 32 and 9-fold increases in
the first and second Intifidas respectively.  Before the Intifida,
victims were men, there were no <10's; during the Intifida 9% were women
and 12% under 14 years; injury patterns changed with 65% due to firearms
or explosives, 19% to beating and 6% to gaseous substances.  Among
children, most firearm injuries involved the head, including eye
injuries and brain damage5.
        After the 1967 war, Israel's labour market opened to workers
from the Occupied Territories, with jobs in construction, agriculture
etc; conditions were poor and exploitation rife6.  By 1984, 87,000
Palestinians were employed in Israel - 36% of the total workforce. Since
1991, there has been a sharp decline, with Romanian and Thai workers
recruited instead.  Girls and young women increasingly risk illiteracy
and families are marrying their daughters at younger ages for security
6.
Before 1987, the author witnessed the failure to provide treatment for 2
children with retinoblastoma; neglect and bureaucracy led to advanced,
metastasised presentation, causing excruciating pain and agony.  They
were failed by a lack of initial treatment but also by denial of
terminal care7, reflecting the neglect of poor and deprived pointed out
by Summerfield's and others 1, 8.

1. Summerfield D.  Palestine: the assault on health and other war
crimes. Br Med J 2004;329:924.

2.  Quato D.  The politics of deteriorating health: the case of
Palestine. Int J Health Serv 2004; 34:341-64.

3. Giacaman R, Husseini A, Gordon NH, Awartani F. Imprints on the
consciousness: the impact on Palestinian civilians of the Israeli Army
invasion of West Bank towns. Eur J Public Health 2004;14286-90.

4. Abu Mourad TA. Palestinian refugee conditions associated with
intestinal parasites and diarrhoea: Nuseirat refugee camp as a case
study. Public Health 2004;118:131-42.

5. Helweg-Larsen K, Abdel-Jabbar Al-Qadi AH, Al-Jabriri J,
Bronnum-Hansen H.  Systematic medical data collection of intentional
injuries during armed conflicts: a pilot study conducted in West Bank,
Palestine. Scand J Public Health 2004;32:17-23.

6.Diamond J. Demography of the Arab World. Lecture. ST203, 21.10.02.

7. Jalili IK. Childhood visual impairment in the West Bank and Gaza
Strip. Thesis - in preparation.

8. World Health Organisation.  Health conditions of, and assistance to,
the Arab population in the occupied Arab territories, including
Palestine.  The 54th World Health Assembly, Agenda item 17, 22 May 2001.

--
---- N A B A
The National Association of British Arabs

Tel/Fax:        ++44 (0)1780 765 655
Address:        PO Box 77, Stamford PE9 2WQ, UK.
Website:        http://www.naba.org.uk
EMAIL:  naba@naba.org.uk

NABA is an independent British organisation working for the interests of the
Arab community within Britain.  It encourages a positive Arab contribution to
British life and promotes integration without surrendering Arab identity.  It
works to build bridges with the indigenous population and other ethnic groups
and promote positive media awareness of Arabs, their heritage and culture
and their views.  In addition it seeks to initiate better collective
communications with local and central government and NGOs to address the
difficulties faced by Arabs within Britain in respect of unemployment, racial
discrimination, etc. Membership is open to all individuals and organisations
interested in Arab culture and affairs.

Ref: (S1)


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