The Occupation Causes Palestinian Arabs To Smoke, Have Heart Attacks, Depression... - by Sheri Oz

...So now the occupation is a chronic disease! But chronic corruption on the part of their leadership who steal monies meant for development and infrastructure, that must be our fault too. Quick! Prescribe an antidepressant for the victims of their own leadership and blame Israel!

Sheri Oz..
Israel Diaries..
01 August '18..

A study published in the academic journal, Conflict and Health, claims that Israel is to blame for cardiovascular disease (CVD) suffered by Palestinian Arabs in the Palestinian Authority (PA). Doctors interviewed by the authors of this article claimed that smoking, having an unhealthy diet and lack of exercise is due to THE OCCUPATION. Here are a few quotes to show how they make this linkage:

All study participants [12 doctors interviewed] referred to stress and insecurity as the main risk factors for the notable increase of CVD in the West Bank. According to them, stress was related to (a) structural determinants, particularly to the Israeli occupation, with its political instability, lack of freedom of movement and military presence and (b) daily stressors including economic hardship, unemployment and family conflicts.

It is so convenient to blame the Israeli so-called occupation for political instability instead of the civil war raging between Hamas and Fatah, corruption and embezzlement on the part PA leaders, and the fact that Abu Mazen is in the 13th year of his 4-year-term. Easy to blame Israeli checkpoints for lack of freedom without mentioning that there were no checkpoints and very little military interference before PA Arabs started murdering Jews. Easy to blame the occupation for economic hardship and unemployment rather than the PA leadership who do not invest in make-work initiatives or the BDS fools who made sure to close down industries such as Sodastream that had Jewish and Palestinian Arab employees working side by side, sending the Arabs out into the street without work.

Shush! Let us not remind them that the Barkan Industrial Area gives Palestinian Arabs a good paycheck and social benefits. Would not want to endanger their livelihoods.

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