Change agents course for Israeli & Palestinian mental health workers concluded

On June 22 2019, we completed the first of three change agents courses for mental health professionals initiated with the award of a USAID grant. When the Trump administration decided to halt support for all joint projects between Israelis and Palestinians, we were obliged to seek alternative funding. For completion of this course, we are grateful to our WASNS Friends Associations and private foundations who have stepped in to cover some of the expenses; so this provides an opportunity to thank them.

The course

The 18-month course, which trained Mental Health professionals as group conflict facilitators and change agents, ended with a diploma award ceremony on June 22, 19, at Talitha Kumi Educational Centre in Beit Jala. The weekend was dedicated to moving personal summaries prepared by the participants. The Jewish participants shared what most of them described as an immersive experience that had changed their awareness to be more inclusive of the other. They said that it had encouraged them not to give up on the prospect of peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Course participants who were Palestinian citizens of Israel spoke of the special encounter with Palestinians from the Palestinian Authority. They said that the meeting had given them a lot, and also that their encounter with the special Jewish group that made them rethink their attitudes towards the Jewish side. Palestinian participants from the PA felt that the framework had enabled them to express themselves sincerely and with full confidence. They appreciated that even when they had voiced hard words and described their difficult reality, the other side had listened to them. The participants noted the main things they had learned about facilitating conflict groups.

Following the personal summaries, we held a panel attended by former PA Minister Mr. Ashraf Ajrami and Israeli Meretz Party MK Musi Raz, who analysed the political situation and offered possible ideas for action.

On the second day, the participants discussed the course and their training as group facilitators and offered ideas for improving the course. We believe that many of the participants in the course will be integrated into frameworks that hold encounter meetings between Jews and Palestinians.