Democratic Palestine : 40 (ص 9)
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- Democratic Palestine : 40 (ص 9)
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transport services strengthened and additional funds for hos-
pitalization provided. Physiotherapy clinics were opened to
help the wounded regain the use of their limbs. UNRWA
has also provided local hospitals with specialized medical
equipment to treat severe fractures and eye injuries.
Perhaps the most significant response has been the for-
mation of a new organization called The Association of
Israeli and Palestinian Physicians (AIPP). The association
was formed in March 1988 «in response to deteriorating
medical conditions and violations of human rights in the
West Bank and Gaza Strip,» according to an official state-
ment released by the group. The association’s founding con-
ference was attended by over 100 Israeli and dozens of
Palestinian physicians. The AIPP focuses on assisting Pales-
tinian medical personnel who have been subject to harass-
ment, administrative detention and expulsion, fighting cut-
backs in medical care to the occupied territories, collectng
funds for medical care and medication and monitoring and
documenting medical care and rights violations in Israel and
the occupied territories. The group’s advocacy work is based
on the fact that the occupation authorities have been imped-
ing medical care as a tool of political pressure, and as a
means of individual and collective punishment. The political
stand of the AIPP supports a two-state solution. Such
efforts, if developed in the correct political direction, can
have a positive impact beyond health care in the occupied
territories.
Despite these efforts, the Israeli authorities have done
what they can to keep international organizations from
addressing the health needs of the occupied population. This
is part of their wider policy of isolating the territories from
world view to have a free hand, and keeping the population
dependent on the occupation infrastructure. Thus, for exam-
ple, funding to medical organizations is restricted to «ap-
proved» sources, training courses by international medical
experts have been forbidden, medical professionals have
been prohibited from attending international conferences
and, perhaps most significantly, the authorities have yet to
allow a World Health Organization (WHO) delegation into
the occupied territories to investigate health conditions. In
addition, the US, encouraged by Israel, has blocked the
State of Palestine from being admitted to the WHO.
The Palestinian response
The right to health care and who controls it has always
been part of the Palestinian struggle. For a displaced
refugee population or a community for whom every aspect
of life is controlled by a military occupier, health care takes
on a significance far beyond maintaining pliysical well-being:
it becomes an arena for mobilization to achieve radical
social and political change. In recognition of this fact, prog-
ressive forces in the occupied territories began forming med-
ical committees in the 1980s to serve Palestinian com-
munities. These committees have concentrated their efforts
in villages and refugee camps in order to serve the poorer
sector of the occupied territories. The grass-roots nature of
this movement and the popular response to it certainly influ-
enced the way the population was mobilized during the
intifada. In turn, the mass-based character of the uprising
has served as an impetus for further development of these
popular health care committees as they strive to respond to
the great medical needs of the population, as well as create
and strengthen independent Palestinian structures in the
field of health care.
The work of the two main committees operating in the
territories - the Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Com-
Democratic Palestine, July-August .1990)
mittees and the Popular Committees for Health Services -
was originally concentrated in preventive, curative and
health education programs. First operating from mobile
clinics, the committees later began establishing permanent
clinics in addition. Notably, women have had leading roles
in these committees, both as medical professionals volun-
teering their skills, and as part of the grass-roots women’s
committees who help organize the health education prog-
rams and mobile clinics.
Since the outbreak of the intifada, the committees have
revised their work to deal with the emergency and trauma
care demands of the Palestinian population, while continu-
ing to build an autonomous health care structure. For exam-
ple, after witnessing hundreds of people flock to hospitals to
donate blood on days when there were heavy gunshot
injuries, the committees organized blood typing and screen-
ing projects to facilitate long-term blood donation. As well,
first aid instructions in dealing with fractures, the effects of
tear gas and controlling bleeding have been added to the
health education syllabus.
Predictably, the occupation authorities have continu-
ously attempted to thwart the committees’ work, especially
during the intifada. Although the committees are legally
established organizations, the authorities’ stance towards
them does not reflect this. Medical professionals working
with these committees have been put in administrative
detention, had travel restrictions imposed on them and had
their private clinics closed down with a warning to cease all
voluntary work. Clearly, these attacks are part of the
authorities’ attempts to crush the intifada and force depen-
dency on the occupation, thereby controlling the population.
They are well aware that the committees are an important
part of the Palestinians taking control of their own lives and
building the infrastructure of their state.
Eyewitness to popular health care
At the beginning of the intifada, I had the opportunity
to observe one of the mobile clinics of the Popular Commit-
tees for Health Services in the West Bank. A several-days-
long curfew on Jalazon refugee camp near Ramallah had
just been lifted, and the five-person medical team would be
providing the first health care services in the camp for days.
As we approached the camp in the late February afternoon,
everyone in the car tensed as we spotted an army roadblock
near the surrounding Jewish settlement. If they searched the
car and found the «contraband» we were carrying - the
trunk-load of medical supplies - how would they react? Luc-
kily, after a cursory identity card check, the soldier waved
us through. As the car winded through the narrow streets of
the camp, more and more people appeared in doorways and
on the street, obviously curious as to who the carload of
strangers were. As we got out of the car and began unload-
ing the supplies, someone announced over the loudspeaker
of the camp’s mosque that the medical committee had
arrived, and anyone wishing medical attention should go to
a certain house.
We were led into a small camp dwelling and served
sweet warm tea by a woman with an equally warm smile.
Soon the small children of the household began peeping
around corners, checking out the unexpected guests and
giggling when we caught their eye. The doctor heading the
medical team disappeared with a young man, and upon his
return we were taken to another house whose two main
rooms had been emptied, except for a few tables and chairs
and a bed. The entry room would be the «reception area»
and the adjoining one would serve as the examination and >
9 - هو جزء من
- Democratic Palestine : 40
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- أغسطس ١٩٩٠
- المنشئ
- الجبهة الشعبية لتحرير فلسطين
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