The number of Israelis visiting mental health clinics has increased by 100 per cent in recent days, Maariv newspaper reported on Wednesday.
The reason for this increase, it is said, is the ongoing tension and clashes between Palestinian protesters and the Israeli army. The Palestinians are responding to the Israeli occupation, killings and violations of their rights, a response which includes random stabbings of Israeli citizens.
According to one mental health official, clinics are approaching the stage of the psychological collapse of Israelis. “All of our staff are working and we have started dealing with the citizens as if we are living in real wartime,” she explained. “We get patients from all backgrounds: normal people, troops, youth and the elderly. Everyone complains about the increase in the number of stabbings and attempted attacks.”
