Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish is a prime example of a man able to defy all expectations and achieve something incredible. Born in the Jabbalia refugee camp in Gaza, Dr. Abuelaish received all his primary education from schools set up across refugee camps. Despite the challenges associated with such an inadequate environment, Dr Abulaish made the best of his situation is studied harder than most students. This perseverance and diligence allowed Dr. Abuelaish to study medicine in Egypt London, and even Harvard. Today, Dr. Abulaish is a renowned gynecologist. However, the most incredible, heart breaking part of Dr. Abulaish's story is the murder of his three children and a niece at the hands of an Israeli bombing. Dr. Abulaish was the first Palestinian doctor to work in an Israeli hospital, and for all his kindness he was repayed by the shelling of his own home and murder of his own children. His heart-wrenching story serves as an example of the impudent, inhumane, heartless nature of the Israeli military.This attack left Dr. Abuelaish's world in ruins, and despite three of his own children being killed at the hands of the oppressive Israeli military, Dr. Abuelaish refused to let hate consume his soul. He instead saw the imminent importance of bringing peace and eradicating hate from both sides of the conflict, in hopes of ending the seemingly endless cycle of violence that so unfairly took his daughters' lives. Dr. Abuelaish has written an incredibly touching book on his unfortunate situation, called I Shall Not Hate: A Gaza Doctor's Journey on the Road to Peace and Human Dignity . Dr. Abuelaish also gave an extremely moving TED Talk at TEDxWaterlooo. Dr. Abuelaish is a man we should all strive to be like, because despite the pain and suffering he has faced throughout his life, he refuses to succumb to the harmful nature of hate and instead radiates love.
"The greatest weapon of mass destruction is the hate in our souls." -Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish
Dr. Abuelaish's TED Talk:Dr. Abuelaish's Personal Foundation in memory of his daughters:
http://daughtersforlife.com/devdfl2013/
