Who are we?

We are a group of trainees from across the UCL Doctorate in Clinical (Dclin) Psychology current cohorts. We are connected to 12 other UK DClin trainee groups who are organising in solidarity with Palestine. This fundraiser is therefore part of a national campaign from trainee clinical psychologists to raise awareness and funds for Palestine from within our professional community.

It is important to us that we speak up and act in solidarity with Palestinians as they face what is now considered by the UN to meet the threshold for a genocide (Albanese, 2024; Sultany, 2024). We question the ethics of remaining neutral, particularly where the impact on mental health is so clearly evidenced (Baker et al., 2024; Taha et al., 2024), given that our core role as psychologists is to alleviate distress.

We are extremely concerned about the failings of UK institutions to call for a ceasefire, including our universities and NHS Trusts which continue to hold financial contracts with companies that are complicit in Israeli violations of international law (see Palestine Solidarity Campaign, 2024 for data on university complicity; see ImpACT International, 2024 for data on NHS complicity). We are further appalled at the active repression of expressions of solidarity with Palestine from within these institutions (Cage International, 2023).

We are fundraising for Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP). About MAP:

MAP works for the health and dignity of Palestinians living under occupation and as refugees. They work across the West Bank and Gaza, and in the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon.

They also undertake advocacy and campaigning in the UK and internationally, seeking to raise Palestinian voices at the highest levels and address the key barriers to health and dignity for Palestinians living under occupation and as refugees.

The Current Situation in Gaza

Over the last 8 months at least 37,202 people have been killed by the Israeli military, including more than 15,000 children. More than 84,932 people have been injured and more than 10,000 are missing (Aljazeera, 2024).

Since Israel began its current military bombardment and complete closure of Gaza, 1.7 million people – over half the population - have been displaced, with many people being displaced multiple times (Medicins Sans Frontiers, 2024). Hospitals and health facilities have been under constant attack, leaving a health system that has all but collapsed (MAP, 2024). Gazans are experiencing catastrophic food insecurity, famine is setting in, and medicines and water are scarce (Medicins Sans Frontiers, 2024).

The Israeli offensive on Rafah has highlighted once again that nowhere is safe in Gaza. The closure of the Rafah crossing is making the delivery of humanitarian assistance and provision of medical care near impossible (Medicins Sans Frontiers, 2024).

How is MAP working to support Palestinians (MAP, 2024):

Amid this ongoing man-made humanitarian crisis, Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP)’s team in Gaza has worked tirelessly, risking their lives to deliver essential aid to their communities. They are one of the only international organisations working in northern Gaza, where conditions are the worst for Palestinians. MAP are also supporting medical services in the occupied West Bank, amid a significant escalation of Israeli military and settler violence against Palestinians.

MAP has delivered nearly $9 million USD worth of aid to Gaza, including: Stocks of drugs, medical disposables, and other humanitarian supplies to hospitals and shelters, warm clothes and hygiene kits, Medical items, including antibiotics, ultrasound gels, intravenous paracetamol, and saline.

MAP is calling on the international community to demand an immediate and permanent ceasefirein Gaza and take steps to protect civilian life and infrastructure – including healthcare facilities – from attack. They are demanding that the international community uphold its Responsibility to Protect Palestinians from atrocities, and pressure Israel to end its total siege on Gaza, so that food, water, fuel, electricity, and medical and shelter supplies can enter and be safely distributed to those who need them.

Historical Context (MAP website)

“In 1947-8, 700,000 Palestinians were expelled from or fled their homes at the hands of militias during the creation of the state of Israel. Hundreds of Palestinian towns and villages were emptied of their populations and destroyed. This tragedy is known as the ‘Nakba’ by Palestinians, and heralded decades of displacement, conflict, and persecution.

During the July war of 1967, Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza, and annexed East Jerusalem. For more than 54 years, Israel’s military occupation has impacted every aspect of daily life for Palestinians: restricting movement, imposing discriminatory control, and threatening homes and livelihoods.

In every healthcare system it is essential that care is effective and accessible to the population it serves. But for Palestinians living under occupation or as refugees, this access is often denied by the circumstances in which they live, and the restrictions on their underlying civil and political rights.

References:

Albanses, F. (2024). Anatomy of Genocide: Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967. United Nations.https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/hrbodies/hrcouncil/sessions-regular/session55/advance-versions/a-hrc-55-73-auv.pdf Retrieved: 25.04.24

Aljazeera (2024). Israel-Gaza War in Maps and Charts: Live Tracker. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/longform/2023/10/9/israel-hamas-war-in-maps-and-charts-live-tracker

Baker, M., Ma'adat, L., & Al-Quran, S. (2024). Mental Health Crisis in Gaza Strip: Current Challenges And Urgent Call For Action. JAP Academy Journal.

CAGE International. (2023). Censoring Palestine, From Schools to Workplaces. https://assets-global.websitefiles.com/6364ebb4927fbc4330221d8f/65843ea9255e98469e2db179_SSvspbm4PmutAFihd6oUt5LKef-SFL3R67ABdHjVItU.pdf

ImpACT International. (2023, Nov 22). ImpACT Urges UK Government to Reconsider Dangerous Palantir/NHS Deal. https://impactpolicies.org/news/353/impact-urges-uk-government-to-reconsider-dangerous-palantirnhs-deal

Medical Aid for Palestine (2024). MAP’s Emergency Response.

https://www.map.org.uk/landing-pages/maps-emergency-response Retrieved 12.06.24.

Medical Aid for Palestine (2024). The Issues Facing Palestinians. https://www.map.org.uk/the-issues/the-issues Retrieved 12.06.24.

Medicins Sans Frontiers (2024). Gaza-Isreal War. https://www.msf.org/gaza-israel-war Retrieved 12.06.24.

Palestine Solidarity Campaign. (2024, June 06). University Complicity Database. https://palestinecampaign.org/university-complicity-database/

Taha, A. M., Sabet, C., Nada, S. A., Abuzerr, S., & Nguyen, D. (2024). Addressing the mental health crisis among children in Gaza. The Lancet Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(24)00036-1

Sultany, N. (2024). A Threshold Crossed: On Genocidal Intent and the Duty to Prevent Genocide in Palestine. Journal of Genocide Research, 1-26. https://doi.org/10.1080/14623528.2024.2351261

.