Palestinian doctor: ‘All I want is for Israel to take responsibility’

Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish lost his three daughters and a niece during the last days of the Israeli war on Gaza in 2009.
Abuelaish, a Palestinian doctor who had been working in Israeli hospitals, had been a fixture in Israeli media, as he speaks Hebrew fluently and was often called on to describe the Palestinian situation and narrative.
He was very moderate and loved by many Israelis. But on Jan. 17, 2009 he was no longer a level-headed eyewitness and commentator, but a grieving father, after Israeli tank shelling killed four of his family members.
He called Israeli journalist Shlomi Eldar to tell him about the tragedy and Eldar did something unusual. He put his phone on speaker mode and allowed the Palestinian to grieve on air on the popular news station Channel 10.
To the surprise of many Abuelaish was not spewing hate. He said his daughters were soldiers of peace. “I had three beautiful daughters who loved to help people. They were soldiers of peace,” he told a stunned Israeli viewing public. The war on Gaza stopped 24 hours later.
For years after that incident Abuelaish has continued to speak of love, not hate. He has written books, received 14 honorary degrees and been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
But Abuelaish has always wanted one thing, he told Arab News by phone Monday. He wants the Israeli army to take responsibility. “No amount of money in the world will ever compensate (for) my lost daughters and niece. All I want is for Israel to take responsibility and admit that they committed a mistake.”
After six years of legal haggling, Abuelaish is finally getting a chance to plead his case in an Israeli court. Four sessions are slated for March and April with the concluding session on April 19. Abuelaish simply wants justice for his 22-year-old daughter Bisan, 15-year-old Mayer and 14-year-old Aya. His niece, 14-year-old Nour Abuelaish, was also killed in the shelling of their home.
Abuelaish has rehearsed what happened in his mind for years. He has written and talked about it; a play has been created about what happened to his family.
The Palestinian doctor knocks down every Israeli attempt to duck responsibility. “They say that our house was full of Hamas guns; if that is the case, why am I here and not in jail?” he asked sarcastically.
Several witnesses — including a volunteer who was near the Abuelaish house before the shelling — have testified that no military activities were taking place. Even Israelis are testifying that the doctor’s home was clearly identified to the Israeli army so that it was not targeted. Eldar, the Israeli journalist, is returning from the US specifically to testify in the court about what happened.
This week Israeli media were full of commentators and politicians from right- and left-wing parties, all calling on the Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to do what is right. Abuelaish repeated to Arab News what so many Israelis are telling their government: “Have the guts to admit the mistake and take responsibility,” he said.
Abuelaish said that Israeli military prosecutors have tried everything possible to derail his effort at getting justice. “They tried to delay our case so that the statute of limitations would expire but we filed in time and now the court is finally hearing our case,” he said.
Hussein Abu Hussein, a Palestinian lawyer and a citizen of Israel, is handling the case and the Palestinian doctor praises him for being “professional, considerate and loyal.” Abu Hussein also represents the family of Rachel Corrie, the American activist who was run over by an Israeli bulldozer as she was trying to stop house demolitions in Gaza in 2003.
Abuelaish is an embryology and genetics specialist, and is now working in Toronto. Nominated four times for the Nobel Peace Prize, he has 14 honorary doctorates from Canadian and American universities. He also has the Order of Ontario and the Queen Elizabeth Jubilee medal.
In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat he has said that “ideas and words are more capable of reaching the truth and achieving peace.” To this end, he has traveled to a number of countries to emphasize the importance of achieving peace in the region. Abuelaish also believes that he must “call for and help Palestinians to achieve, even prior to peace, such things as love, respect, and the right to a dignified life.”
A Belgian state secretary has nominated Abuelaish for the Nobel Peace Prize, describing him as a “soldier of peace.” He also received honorary Belgian citizenship “in recognition of his efforts in service of humanity.”
Abuelaish was born in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza on Feb. 3, 1955. His family was expelled in 1948 from the Palestinian Al Hawj Village which is now part of Israel.
The Palestinian doctor, who is now teaching and living in Canada, said that he is not suing for money. “I have pledged that any compensation from the case will go to the Daughters for Life Foundation,” a Canadian charity he has established. The charity’s website said its aim is “providing quality education for young women of the Middle East to achieve lasting peace.”
Abuelaish has not made any specific financial requests in his lawsuit. However he told Arab News that he will not accept anything less than the compensation given to the Turkish individuals killed on the Mavi Marmara or the British cameraman shot by Israelis.
Press reports say that Israel apologized for killing nine Turks aboard the peace flotilla that was headed for the besieged Gaza and paid a $20 million in compensation.
The case will conclude on April 19. The real question is whether Abuelaish will be satisfied that justice has been served.

Source: Arab News