49. El Sarraj, E. Children of the Intifada, Victims and Heroes. Presented to the Second European Conference on Traumatic Stress, 1990: 5 pp.

The author describes the difficulties that Palestinians experience under the Israeli occupation and their effects on the mental health of children. Before Intifada started in 1987, many Palestinians suffered different kinds of psychopathologies like feeling of helplessness, frustration, depression, anxiety, domestic violence and antisocial b, particularly among children and young adults. After the Intifada, these phenomena were transformed into positive self image, high self esteem and national pride, positive assertiveness and social cohesion. However, three years after the Intifada, feelings of frustration and anxiety re-emerged. Children now suffer from the effects of victimization while they keep a heroic profile with active involvement in the Intifada.