Today, Israeli-Arab Joint List MK Haneen Zoabi called for improved psychological treatment for Israeli Arabs.
“It is important for Arabs to have access to Arab psychologists because of language and cultural differences that can impede proper treatment,” Zoabi said.
Clarifying her position, Zoabi added that an eight-year old Israeli-Arab rape victim who does not speak Hebrew would not receive optimal care due to the language barrier. The issue is compounded by the fact that waits for an appointment with an Israeli-Arab psychologist can take up to half a year. During a discussion at the Knesset’s social health and welfare committee, Zoabi stated that only 2.5% of psychologists in Israel are Arab, while 90% of Israeli Arabs don’t receive the mental health treatment they need.
Zoabi also pointed out that, according to a letter response received by her office, out of 140 training spots for Clalit Health Services, the largest health clinic in Israel, only 16 are for Arabs. Zoabi also said that not enough Arabs are interested in psychology, and should be encouraged to do so. According to Zoabi, many Arabs are discouraged by the long wait to enter the four-year training period after completing an MA degree in clinical psychology.
To remedy the problem, Zoabi advocated creating an affirmative action program (coordinated by the Health Ministry) to encourage Arabs to enter the four-year training program. Zoabi also suggested a special education for students studying educational psychology to transfer to clinical psychology.
Zoabi is no stranger to controversy, mainly due to her anti-Israel rhetoric. In October, Zoabi was quoted in a Hamas publication, stating that ““Hundreds of worshipers should go up to al-Aqsa to confront an Israeli conspiracy there. Thousands of our people’s ascents there would turn these events into a real intifada.”
