JEBALIYA, Gaza Strip — Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish is a familiar figure to Israelis — a Palestinian who worked inBut the interview he did Jan. 16, as Israeli forces waged war on Gaza’s Hamas rulers, was horrifyingly different: Israeli tank shells had just killed three of his daughters, and he was phoning an Israeli journalist-friend, live on the air, to plead for help in evacuating the wounded.
Four months later, far from voicing bitterness, Abuelaish is trying to turn his tragedy into hope, helping build a scholarship fund for Gaza girls and an Israeli hospital, and urging reconciliation.
"We need to open our eyes, our minds and to have big hearts, to smash the mental and physical barriers and borders, to build the broken trust,” said the Harvard-trained son of a Gaza laborer.
During the war, started to end Hamas rocket fire on Israeli towns, Israeli journalists often turned to him for a Gaza perspective, delivered in Hebrew.
Now, he is participating in something called The Parents’ Circle, which includes other bereaved fathers and mothers.
"In both societies, people are willing to listen to the bereaved,” said an Israeli leader of the group, Roni Hirshenson, who has lost two sons to the conflict, one of them in a Palestinian suicide bombing.
What’s next?
He is taking a teaching position at the University of Toronto this fall.
Abuelaish will also spend part of each year teaching at Haifa University in Israel, and plans to return to Gaza in five years.
"I have a future, I have my people, and hatred and revenge can be driven out by love and wisdom.”
Israel and was frequently on Israeli media.
by the associated press
Four months later, far from voicing bitterness, Abuelaish is trying to turn his tragedy into hope, helping build a scholarship fund for Gaza girls and an Israeli hospital, and urging reconciliation.
"We need to open our eyes, our minds and to have big hearts, to smash the mental and physical barriers and borders, to build the broken trust,” said the Harvard-trained son of a Gaza laborer.
During the war, started to end Hamas rocket fire on Israeli towns, Israeli journalists often turned to him for a Gaza perspective, delivered in Hebrew.
Now, he is participating in something called The Parents’ Circle, which includes other bereaved fathers and mothers.
"In both societies, people are willing to listen to the bereaved,” said an Israeli leader of the group, Roni Hirshenson, who has lost two sons to the conflict, one of them in a Palestinian suicide bombing.
What’s next?
He is taking a teaching position at the University of Toronto this fall.
Abuelaish will also spend part of each year teaching at Haifa University in Israel, and plans to return to Gaza in five years.
"I have a future, I have my people, and hatred and revenge can be driven out by love and wisdom.”
Israel and was frequently on Israeli media.
by the associated press
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