Dr. Mona El-Farra is a Palestinian physician in Gaza. She is a health development consultant for the Union of Health Work Committees and vice president of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Gaza. Dr. El-Farra recently completed a speaking tour of the United States. In Los Angeles, she spoke at a forum sponsored by the ANSWER Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) and the Palestinian American Women’s Association. The Rafah border crossing has been closed by the Israeli occupiers for six weeks. On July 19, more than 5,000 Palestinians demonstrated there to demand unrestricted entry. The protest was organized jointly by four political organizations, including the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The following entry is from Dr. El-Farra’s blog “From Gaza, with love.” July 15, 2007 My mother is in the hospital at the moment. She is severely ill. She was admitted to the hospital three days ago. I
cannot reach her.
Dr. Mona El-Farra
Photo: Ian Thompson
I finished my 45-day speaking tour in the U.S. All across the U.S. and during every lecture I told the audience about our suffering, living in this big prison called Gaza. I told them about the borders closure and about the patients who passed away while waiting to cross the borders.
The borders have been closed for more than five weeks and patients have died while waiting to cross the Rafah crossing, the only crossing between Gaza and Egypt. All other exits are completely sealed by the Israeli army. The border was opened 70 times in one year.
This is my personal story, like the daily stories of the 1.4 million people in Gaza under siege and occupation, poverty, lack of resources, killing, shooting, violence, etc.
I cannot cross the borders, I cannot cross the Rafah crossing. I badly need to be next to my mother. I badly need to be there with her to help her, to do whatever I can for her. To say, good bye mum.
I was always there for my patients and many people, to help and try to alleviate their suffering. In her last hours I cannot be there; my hands are tied. I am helpless, I can do nothing, I just have to wait and wait and wait. My throat is dry, my eyes are full of tears.
This is unjust, inhuman. It is the occupation. How can it come to be just and fair, when it is mainly based on injustice, aggression and cruelty?
Can somebody help me to go home? I badly need to be at home next to my mother in her last moments.
Good bye mum, I hope you rest in peace, a peace we do not enjoy in Gaza.
Click here to read about the Los Angeles meeting with Dr. El-Farra.
Click here to read more from the PSL on Palestine.
