Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish

on
Hope or Despair in the Middle East?
One Man's Story

November 10, 2009 at 7 p.m.
Library and Archives, 395 Wellington Street
Tickets: $10 at the door

Sixty-one years after the creation of the state of Israel (War of Independence for Israelis, the Nakba or Catastrophe for Palestinians), the conflict in the Middle East is in stalemate, yet many Jews and Palestinians refuse to abandon hope for a just resolution.

Just two days before the ceasefire that ended the war in Gaza this past January, a single news story arrested the Israeli and international public in the way nothing else had done. The home of well known Palestinian peace advocate, Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish, was hit by Israeli shells. Three of his daughters and one niece were killed instantly. Another daughter and niece were injured.

He called his friend and TV broadcaster, Shlomi Eldar, who announced this news live with Dr. Abuelaish's voice crying out from the cell phone: “My girls, O God, They are dead.” He and his children (whose mother had recently died of leukemia) became the face of the human suffering of Palestinians.

This pediatric physician, who regularly crossed the Gaza border to deliver Jewish babies and who trained Palestinian doctors in his own clinic in Gaza ,was once described by an Israeli colleague as a “magical secret bridge between Israelis and Palestinians,” Medicine was his means of bridge-building. While no longer secret, he has not given up on being a bridge despite his heavy losses. He says, “I hope my children will be the last price.”

This story has a Canadian twist. One week before his home was bombed, he was invited by Dr. Peter Singer and Dr. Abdallah Daar to come to the University of Toronto for a three year medical residency. They were making arrangements to get him and his family out of Gaza when the bombs struck. In March, the Dr. and his family were able to come to Canada.

Potlucks for Peace collectively was delighted that Dr. Abuelaish was able to accept our invitation to speak to the Ottawa community. We hope his talk will promote greater understanding and further establish the common ground necessary to a just,lasting peace in the Middle East.

The Ottawa event was moderated by the Honourable Ed Broadbent and Dr. Abuelaish was introduced by Israeli-Canadian Debi Parush .

Download the event Poster

Listen to part of the presentation in MP3 Format

Watch the video of the event posted at Dialogue with diversity websit

Review in Public Values website