Patients behind the front lines: the exchange of mentally ill patients in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War

Daniel  Argo; Vladislav Fainstein; Edgar Jones; Moshe Abramowitz

doi:10.1177/0957154X20912133

Patients behind the front lines: the exchange of mentally ill patients in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War

Daniel Argo, Vladislav Fainstein, Edgar Jones, Moshe Abramowitz

Hadassah University Medical Centre

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The British Mandate in Palestine ended abruptly in 1948. The British departure engendered a complex situation which affected all areas of life, and the country’s health system was no exception. Gradual transition of the infrastructure was almost impossible owing to the ineffectiveness of the committee appointed by the United Nations. The situation was further complicated by the outbreak of the Arab–Israeli War. We relate for the first time the story of 75 Jewish patients who were left in a former British mental hospital in Bethlehem – deep behind the front lines. Despite the hostilities, there were complex negotiations about relocating those patients. This episode sheds light on the Jewish and Arab relationship as it pertained to mental institutions during and immediately after the British Mandate.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	341-350
Number of pages	10
Journal	History Of Psychiatry
Volume	31
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/0957154X20912133
Publication status	Published - 1 Sept 2020

Keywords

Arab–Israeli 1948 War
British Mandate
colonial psychiatry
mental health

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1177/0957154X20912133

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abstract = "The British Mandate in Palestine ended abruptly in 1948. The British departure engendered a complex situation which affected all areas of life, and the country{\textquoteright}s health system was no exception. Gradual transition of the infrastructure was almost impossible owing to the ineffectiveness of the committee appointed by the United Nations. The situation was further complicated by the outbreak of the Arab–Israeli War. We relate for the first time the story of 75 Jewish patients who were left in a former British mental hospital in Bethlehem – deep behind the front lines. Despite the hostilities, there were complex negotiations about relocating those patients. This episode sheds light on the Jewish and Arab relationship as it pertained to mental institutions during and immediately after the British Mandate.",

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Patients behind the front lines: the exchange of mentally ill patients in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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