Monday, July 17, 2006
As a mother, I fear for our children. I can see the effects of the continuous sonic booming and artillery shelling on my daughter. She is 13 years old and she is restless, panicked. She is afraid to go out, yet frustrated because she can't see her friends. When the Israeli planes break the sound barrier, which they do at all times of the day and night, the sound is terrifying. My bed shakes tremendously. My daughter usually jumps into bed with me, shivering with fear. Then both of us end up crouching on the floor. My heart races, yet I need to pacify my daughter, to make her feel safe. Now she knows that we need to pacify each other. She feels my fear. When the bombs sound, I flinch and scream. I can't help myself. I am a doctor, a mature, middle-aged woman. But with the sonic booming, I become hysterical. I am only human after all, and we all have our threshold for fear and pain."
Dr. Mona El-Farra is a physician by training, a human rights and women's rights activist by practice, in the Occupied Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territory. See the Gaza Strip through her eyes.
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I'm certainly not taking sides in any Middle East conflict nor am I skilled enough to debate it. I just find it more interesting to hear a Mother's viewpoint than a newscaster's.
