UKPALMHN mailing 28 May

ukpalmhnadmin
UKPALMHN Solidarity Space
Monday 2 June at 1pm (UK time)
This is an open space where people exchange their emotional responses with a view to remaining resilient amidst a constant stream of distressing news.
Please contact ukpalmhn@gmail.com if you would like a link to this meeting.

77 Years of Ongoing Nakba
Source: International Collective of the Palestine Mental Health Networks
Date: Thursday 29 May from 4pm – 6pm (UK time)
An online event commemorates 77 years since the Nakba, highlighting ongoing struggles faced by Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. The programme includes a short film screening and talks from mental health professionals and activists, aiming to amplify Palestinian voices and advocate for justice.
Speakers
Yasser Abu Jamei (Gaza)
Director General, Gaza Community Mental Health Programme; Co-founder, Palestine-Global Mental Health Network.
Gabriela Buamscha (in exile, returning to Beit Jala)
Member of Voces Palastinas; Biologist and Soil Scientist specializing in plant nurseries.
Yoad Ghanadry (Nazareth)
Palestinian scholar, clinician, and Co-founder of the Palestine-Global Mental Health Network.
Mazen Qumsieh (Bethlehem)
Professor, founder, and volunteer director of the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability, Bethlehem University.
Hosts
Lama Khouri (in exile, returning to Jerusalem)
Co-founder, Palestine-Global Mental Health Network
Nelly Marzouka (in exile, returning to Bethlehem)
Founder, Chile-Palestine Mental Health Network
https://www.pmhn-international.org/calendar/oase1pfj5svl6btqwhwg9qzojq2m3i

The mental health of children in Gaza
Source: Causes Show
Date: 21 May
A 55-minute interview with Dr. Yasser Abu-Jamei from the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme
In this conversation, Dr. Yasser Abu-Jamei discusses the dire mental health situation in Gaza, the work of the Gaza Community Mental Health Program, and the profound impact of ongoing conflict on the psychological well-being of children and families. He emphasises the importance of community support, the role of agency in coping with trauma, and the need for creative expression as a means of healing. Dr. Yasser also shares personal experiences of loss and the long-term effects of trauma on individuals and communities. He discusses the profound impact of trauma on families in Gaza and the challenges of managing anger in the face of adversity. He talks about the intersection of health and human rights, the complexities of resilience in prolonged conflict, and the importance of hope amidst despair.  Yasser also addresses misconceptions about life in Gaza and calls for action from the international community to support the basic human rights of Palestinians.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CRXsP8qhpE

The missing children of Gaza
Source: Save the Children (a detailed, on-screen report and petition)
Date: May 2025
Countless children are missing in Gaza. Thousands are presumed dead beneath the rubble. Others have been harmed beyond recognition by explosives, buried in unmarked or mass graves, or gone missing in the chaos of conflict. We may never know what happened to some of these children. But every one of them had a story, a family, and dreams stolen from them.
https://www.savethechildren.net/gaza-missing-children

An international initiative to improve mental healthcare in Palestine through a tripartite collaboration
Source: BJPsych International (open access)
Date: 13 May
Co-authored by Dr Samah Jabr.
The number of people living in Palestine with mental disorders is significantly higher than the global average. Military occupation, violence and poverty contribute to collective trauma. International agencies have emphasised the need for collective action and systemic solutions. The Ministry of Health in Palestine, Medical Aid for Palestinians and the Royal College of Psychiatrists have collaborated to develop a national strategy for child and adolescent mental health, enhance psychiatric training and improve electroconvulsive therapy provision. The article details how this collaboration has demonstrated partnership and local ownership to empower Palestinian communities to make sustainable mental healthcare improvements.
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/bjpsych-international/article/an-international-initiative-to-improve-mental-healthcare-in-palestine-through-a-tripartite-collaboration/255B996E8626F59850EC195F3B3931E4

Nurse Lana Abugharbieh witnesses release of Palestinian prisoners during second Gaza mission
Source: Institute for Palestine Studies
Date: 21 May
An appalling and sickening eye witness account about the state of tortured Palestinian prisoners returned to Gaza.
https://www.palestine-studies.org/en/node/1657353

Debunked! Don’t let them gaslight you on the Gaza genocide
Source: Zeteo
Date: 23 May
Mehdi Hasan presents evidence from international experts, including Israeli and Jewish scholars, asserting that Israel’s actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide. The article challenges media narratives and urges recognition of the severity of the humanitarian crisis.
https://zeteo.com/p/debunked-dont-let-them-gaslight-you-on-gaza-genocide

The turning point that wasn’t: The way the world talks about Israel’s war has changed. Nothing else has
Source: The Guardian
Date: 26 May
Nesrine Malik argues that while Western leaders have adopted stronger rhetoric against Israel’s actions in Gaza, substantive policy changes remain absent. She contends that without concrete measures, such as sanctions or arms embargoes, the international community’s stance lacks effectiveness.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/may/26/israel-gaza-war-turning-point-uk-eu-changed

As Gaza’s children are bombed and starved, we watch – powerless. What is it doing to us as a society?
Source: The Guardian
Date: 24 May
Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett reflects on the emotional toll of witnessing the suffering of Gaza’s children through media, describing a collective sense of helplessness and moral injury. She questions societal responsibility and the impact of passive observation on our collective conscience.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/may/24/gaza-children-bombed-starved-watch-society

The moral issue of our time
Source: The Chris Hedges YouTube Channel (1 ½ hour recording)
Date: 25 May
Chris Hedges and Gabor Maté, introduced by journalist Aaron Maté, discuss the “moral issue of our time,” Gaza. Hedges and Gabor Maté deliver speeches, engage in a two-way discussion and take questions from the audience.
https://youtu.be/fnl49IWqIcY?si=Mqm0864mbvnATTgf

“You don’t ask the perpetrator of genocide.”
Source: Middle East Eye
Date: 25 May
In a searing interview with the BBC, paediatrician Dr Tanya Haj Hassan condemned the broadcaster for echoing Israeli government talking points as she recounted her harrowing experiences in Gaza. Dr Haj Hassan, who recently returned from volunteering with Medical Aid for Palestinians, shared the devastating story of her colleague, Dr Alaa, a paediatric emergency doctor at Nasser Hospital. While Dr Alaa was on call at the hospital, her home was bombed and nine of her children were killed, their bodies charred and dismembered beyond recognition. Her husband remains in critical condition. Dr Haj Hassan described a healthcare system in collapse: intensive care units overflowing with maimed, orphaned children – many the sole survivors of their families. She also questioned why the BBC has delayed the release of ‘Medics Under Fire’, a documentary it commissioned about systematic attacks on Gaza’s healthcare workers, calling for its immediate release.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5yFJ1CjZYE&t=341s

BASW & SWU statement on the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank
Source: The British Association of Social Workers and The Social Workers Union
Date: 27 May
BASW and SWU are horrified by the deaths of civilian victims and the terrible and worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. We condemn the Israeli government’s ongoing genocidal military action that continues to escalate. We cannot be silent about this. As social workers, we are individually and collectively committed to promoting human rights for all peoples, speaking  out against injustice and violence, and calling for peace building […]
https://new.basw.co.uk/articles/basw-swu-statement-worsening-humanitarian-crisis-gaza-and-west-bank

EVENTS
Our Events page is updated weekly with events related to Palestine and mental health. As of 28 May, there are 14 up to date events listed.
https://ukpalmhn.com/events/

FEATURED EVENT

Sustaining Health and Healthcare in a Time of Genocide
Date: Saturday 14 June from 10:30am -5:00pm at the University of Glasgow.
Source: Scottish Palestinian Health Partnership (SPHP)
SPHP is a network of healthcare professionals collaborating in support of health and healthcare in Palestine. Our forthcoming conference is an interactive event focusing on the impact of trauma and loss for Palestinians and the implications for mental health and wellbeing. With presentations from:
Dr Yasser Abu Jumei (Gaza Community Mental Health Programme),
Dr Andy Ferguson (IDEALS) and others.
For further information and booking:
https://scotpalhp.org/event/scottish-palestinian-health-partnership-conference/

ACTIONSOur Featured Action is available below and also on our dedicated Actions page together with a range of other current actions
https://ukpalmhn.com/gaza–crisis/

FEATURED ACTION

Support UN-supervised aid and ceasefire in Gaza
This is a petition aimed at UK-based health, aid, and social care workers to sign urging the UK Government to take action over the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza
“We are bound by a shared ethical duty: to care for and support those in need, irrespective of their background or circumstances […]
We invite all UK-based health, aid, and social care workers to sign this petition and urge the UK Government to:
– Guarantee the continuous delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza under international oversight;
– Enact an immediate and total embargo on arms sales and military collaboration with Israel;
– Advocate for an immediate, durable, and internationally monitored ceasefire.”
https://www.change.org/p/support-un-supervised-aid-and-ceasefire-in-gaza

BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS (BDS)

A founding aim of the UK-Palestine Mental Health Network is to “encourage our colleagues individually and collectively to consider their response to the Palestinian call for boycott, sanctions and divestment (BDS).”

Co-op members vote in favour of ceasing trade with Israel
Source: Fruitnet
Date: 20 May
At its recent AGM, 72.8% of Co-op members voted to end trade with Israel, reflecting growing concern over human rights violations in the occupied Palestinian territories. The decision aligns the cooperative with the broader Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement advocating for Palestinian rights.
https://www.fruitnet.com/fresh-produce-journal/co-op-members-vote-in-favour-of-ceasing-trade-with-israel/266855.article

King’s College Cambridge to divest millions from “occupation” and arms industry
Source: Middle East Eye
Date: 20 May
King’s College Cambridge has announced plans to divest from arms companies and entities involved in activities deemed illegal or contravening global norms, such as occupation. This decision follows sustained student protests against the college’s investments in firms supplying weapons to Israel and Russia.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/kings-college-cambridge-divest-millions-occupation-and-arms-industry