October 29, 2009

American Medical Team Calls for the End of the Siege on Gaza

 Our delegation from Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility from Seattle, Washington and other parts of the United States has been deeply moved by your welcome and your hospitality.  We thank Gaza Community Mental Health Programme and Al Awda Hospital for hosting us – and particularly we thank Dr. Eyad El Sarraj, Dr. Yousif Mousa and Marwan Diab, who has worked with dedication to assure that our opportunities for service were maximized.

 We appreciate the opportunity to learn more about your challenges and great achievements and look forward to carrying your messages of peace to the citizens of the United States.  Seeing Gaza through the eyes of our colleagues in Gaza, we believe we have a better understanding of the effects of the brutal siege on the citizens of Gaza – and of the continuing mental and physical health effects of the war waged on Gaza last winter. 

 We are grateful to have met the leaders of your community  - government officials and healthcare and academic professionals -who have made themselves available to educate us and to respond to our questions.  We know that you have hosted other delegations and hope that the visit of our medical delegation will open the door for many other medical practitioners to serve in Gaza.

We have met citizens of Gaza, witnessed the destruction and pain, the courage and creativity of your homeland and your people and we offer our commitment to return to the United States and appeal to the decision-makers in our government to come to Gaza and to speak directly with those we have met.  It is apparent that an open Gaza can be a partner for peace in the world.

 Summary:  We have learned much in these few days. We believe that world leaders meeting with the leaders in Gaza that we have met on this trip carries the possibility that the long-term security for the Palestinian people and for Israel can be achieved.

We commit to taking to the government of the United State what we have learned here and we appeal to the world community to insist on lifting the siege.  The entrapment and collective punishment of the people of Gaza must end – Gaza must be free.

 For more information you may contact:

Dr. David Hall at dhall@familyhealing.com

Or Gerri Haynes at iggydog@aol.com  0599019387