My life
is a war
Voices of Traumatized Palestinian Children under Israeli Occupation
by
Dr. Iman Farajallah
For over seven decades, the young inhabitants of Palestine have endured the relentless burden of escalating war-related traumas as a consequence of enduring and prolonged Israeli wars. Palestinian children have been subjected to peril and violence on a scale that has, regrettably, given rise to a marginalized social stratum within their society. It is within this adversity that our research has found its purpose, which is deeply rooted in the calling to illuminate the profound psychological repercussions wrought by war.
Through our research, we undertake a comprehensive exploration of the multifaceted aspects surrounding the harrowing experiences of war and post-war trauma among children, with a particular focus on the children of Palestine. In the pages that follow, we shall embark on a journey into the lives of Palestinian children who have witnessed the cruelty of Israeli occupation. Our objective is twofold: to provide a depiction of their experiences and to shed light on the ongoing efforts and potential global interventions aimed at mitigating this human tragedy. In so doing, we appeal to empathy for addressing this issue, not merely as a regional concern, but as a testament to the collective humanity that binds us all.
About the Author
Dr. Iman Farajallah is a Doctor of Clinical Psychology. She also has a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology and a Master of Behavioral Science Degree in International Relations, a Diploma in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution from Erasmus University in partnership with the Institute of Rotterdam, and a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential.
Dr. Iman Farajallah is a clinical psychologist, born and raised in Gaza and now living in California. She’s also the author of (My life is a war: voices of traumatized Palestinian children under Israeli occupation) and documentary on the effects of living under occupation on the children of Gaza. Her film (My life is a war: I want to live in peace) will be released in 2024. Dr. Farajallah has been featured on many media outlets such as Aljazeera, TRT, BBC, NPR, San Jose Chronical, SF examiner, among many others.
Dr. Farajallah is the founder and the president of Iman Network, a nonprofit that focuses on mental health, education, empowerment, and relief. Dr. Farajallah is a psychologist currently practicing in San Francisco, CA serving underserved population that suffers from mental illness and addiction.
Dr. Farajallah is an established researcher and writer and recently published articles on the pandemic: “The Impact of The Israeli Wars on Palestinian Women’s Mental Health,” “Palestinians are raised in survival mode, but nothing prepared us for this,” “The Psychosocial Impacts of War and Armed Conflict on Children,” “Positivity during a Pandemic: Can COVID-19 raise the psychological immunity of individuals and society?” “Positivity during a Pandemic: Looking at the Glass Half Full,” and “Coping with Pandemics: Psychological and Spiritual Lessons from Islamic History,” and others. research topics in Mental health, trauma, wars, minority mental health, treatments in mental health and other subjects. Dr. Farajallah is compassionate about researching topics in mental health such as Trauma, children and women mental health, war and its mental health impact on diverse population, treatments for mental health illnesses. She also provides training on PTSD and trauma. She is also the director and producer of a documentary named “Gaza’s Children: Innocence Lost.”
Expert Opinion
This is a message through you to the whole free and civilized world, to all my colleagues in mental health and to all human beings, to practice the natural right as human beings to support our just Palestinian cause, and we demand no more than to regain our rights and to live free as we live in all countries of the world, except under the Israeli occupation.
-Dr. Sami Owaida
Illuminate the voices of Palestinian children in Gaza longing for peace. Help us fund a film and book capturing their stories under Israeli occupation.