Ramallah: The Palestinian Police Service has revealed 27 male Palestinians committed suicide during the first 11 months this year.
Police stated the deaths occurred mainly among Palestinian youth, particularly teenagers, who commit suicide over social, domestic and love-related issues. The police added depression and academic failure usually contribute to the number of suicides.
According to a police statement, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of suicides in Palestine and significantly, all those who committed suicide during the first 11 months this year were males.
Palestinian police held a workshop in its premises in Ain Munjed in Ramallah and invited experts and religious scholars in a bid to come up with recommendations, solutions and strategies to handle the problem.
Colonel Abdul Jabbar Burqan, Deputy Director of Palestinian Police for Criminal Investigation, told the workshop that Palestinian society stands in urgent need of a new strategy to control the phenomenon of suicides.
The total of 27 this year is much higher than 19 for 2013. Only five suicide cases were reported during 2012.
Palestinian security apparatus and other civil society institutions have been alarmed by the rising incidence of suicides among males.
Suicide attempts are also common among Palestinian women. Since the beginning of the year, 312 suicide attempts were reported in Palestine. A total of 458 suicide attempts were reported during the previous year 2013 and 416 attempts in 2012.
Colonel Burqan said death by hanging was the most common method of suicide.
The police workshop concluded the worrying figures and statistics cannot be ignored or put aside and unless societal figures and official institutions join hands, suicides will remain an uncontrollable phenomenon in Palestine.
