Gaza doctor who lost three kids in IDF op tapped for Nobel Prize


Palestinian Dr. Ezzeldeen Abu al-Aish, whose three daughters were killed during Israel's offensive on the Gaza Strip earlier this year, has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, Army Radio reported on Monday.

The nomination was announced by Belgium's state secretary, who described al-Aish to the Arabic-language daily A-Sharq Al-Awsat as a "soldier of peace." The doctor has been awarded honorary Belgian citizenship "in recognition of his efforts in service of humanity," said the state secretary.

According to A-Sharq Al-Awsat, Minority Affairs Minister Professor Avishay Braverman has called Dr. Abu al-Aish to congratulate him, calling the nomination a victory for humanity.
Advertisement

Abu al-Aish, a father of eight who was trained in Israel, became one of the symbols of the Gaza offensive after he was broadcast on television immediately after an Israeli shell killed three of his daughters and his niece.

In a report drenched with sobs, al-Aish said he hoped his three daughters would be the last victims of the fighting in Gaza, and that their deaths would help bring peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

"I want to know why my daughters were harmed. This should haunt (Israeli Ehud Prime Minister) Olmert his entire life," Abu al-Aish said on Israel's Channel 10, speaking through a cell phone in Hebrew as he has throughout the war.

He added that his daughters were "armed only with love."

The IDF shelled the al-Aish home after troops reported having been fired upon by snipers situated in the house adjacent to theirs, according to an IDF investigation.

The troops identified suspicious figures in the upper levels of the doctor's building, and deduced that they were serving as observers, directing the sniper fire from their vantage point.

The Israeli commander on he ground decided to fire tank shells at the building, hitting al-Aish's home and killing three of his daughters.

Abu al-Aish had denied that there were any militants in the building at the time of the shelling, but thanked those responsible for investigating the incident by saying that "we all make mistakes, and we don't repeat them."

"I have two options - the path of darkness or the path of light. The path of darkness is like choosing all the complications with diseases and depression, but the path of light is to focus on the future and my children. This strengthened my conviction to continue on the same path and not to give up," al-Aish said after the release of the investigation's conclusions.

The 55-year-old gynecologist trained in Israeli hospitals and speaks Hebrew.

Views: 150

Comment

You need to be a member of iPeace.us to add comments!

Join iPeace.us

Comment by piyush on April 14, 2009 at 7:47pm
om shanti
Comment by piyush on April 14, 2009 at 7:47pm
om shanti
Comment by Nuno Jardim on April 13, 2009 at 7:15pm
Indeed a Great Human Being who helped others, who are enemies, whom he see as equal and shares the love from helping them. This his something special and he gave so much and higher was taken.
All of the best and true compaission for this futures man's live. Just hopping that he can give an example of continuing given without forgeting what was taken. That a Nobel Prize be a help for his big heart continuing to give!
I share my compassion with you Dr. Ezzeldeen Abu al-Aish.

Nuno
Comment by millie on April 13, 2009 at 1:11am
love and peace that is all we need. enough war!!!
Comment by Udita on April 9, 2009 at 8:48pm
Yes, Maria, we can.
And this possibility is our hope.
Comment by Milez on April 9, 2009 at 7:10am
The previous post has ommited the links which are:
Danial Bar-Tal's paper http://tau.ac.il/%7Edaniel/pdf/31.pdf
Dr. Abu al-Aish interview http://www.ynetnews.com/Ext/Comp/ArticleLayout/CdaArticlePrintPreview/1,2506,L-3674373,00.html
Comment by Milez on April 9, 2009 at 7:07am
"The IDF shelled the al-Aish home after troops reported having been fired upon by snipers situated in the house adjacent to theirs, according to an IDF investigation."
"The troops identified suspicious figures in the upper levels of the doctor's building, and deduced that they were serving as observers, directing the sniper fire from their vantage point."

I'm disappointed that my psychic ability to predict the outcome of IDF 'investigations' remains unimpaired.

A couple of obvious questions:
What is the claim here? Were there snipers, observers or snipers observing from the adjacent house? The claim that snipers were present is flatly contradicted by Dr. Ezzeldeen Abu al-Aish himself.
How did the IDF "deduced that they were serving as observers"? How could they distinguish between an "observer" or anybody else? There is an excellent paper by Danial Bar-Tal and others at which provides some insight as to why anyone is likely to be seen as incriminated rather than innocuous.
Why was the shelling directed at Dr. Abu al-Aish's home rather than at the observers or source of fire?

Dr. Abu al-Aish is quoted as saying "we all make mistakes, and we don't repeat them." I am touched by his extraordinarily charitable view of his daughter's killers. Objectively the IDF has definitively proved that it is not included in that "we don't repeat them". It is the endless repetition of exactly this kind of "mistake" that has convinced me that many of the "mistakes" aren't. Indeed, so frequent are they that it has occurred to me that Dr. Abu al-Aish may actually have been the intended target; a suspicion given added weight because the IDF knew where he was there. At least one earlier attack had been called off after Channel 10 intervened on his behalf. Whatever explanation the IDF have provided, the fact is the tank fired directly into his home.

There is a transcript of an extended interview with Dr. Abu al-Aish at .

These things are not going to stop happening by magic.
They will only cease when enough people are willing to find out what really happened and why.
Comment by Shmoo Snook on April 8, 2009 at 10:29pm
Sheesh, Lynn! Get a grip!

"They should be punished the way American soldiers are when they do something wrong!"

How often are U.S. soldiers punished for the deaths of innocent civilians?

"Rachel Corrie was killed by being run over by a bulldozer (an activist back in March 2003). Were the Israeli soldiers punished - NO!!! WHY??? Their government doesn't see anything wrong with it!"

It is an insult to the memory of the doctor's daughters to mention the death of Rachel Corrie practically in the same breath. You talk about it as if the driver of that bulldozer was motivated by hatred and a desire to kill. You are mixing him up with the terrorists who have attacked Israelis with bulldozers.

"So why the shelling of his home??? For FUN!!!"

I don't think you really believe it was done for its entertainment value. Or do you?

Shmuel
Comment by Lynn Shedler on April 8, 2009 at 8:53pm
This is a horrible act of violence on Israel's part! They should be punished the way American Soldier's are when they do somthing wrong! Like the rape and murder of a 14 year old girl. Rachel Corrie was killed by being run over by a bull-dozer (an activist back in March 2003). Were the Israeli soldier's punished
- NO!!! WHY??? Their government doesn't see anything wrong with it! Palestinian
Doctor Ezzeldeen Abu-al-Aish and his daughters (and niece) did nothing wrong!!
So why the shelling of his home??? For FUN!!! I Swear - The Palestine and Israel
soldier's are CRAZY. And I mean that - they don't care anymore who they kill. I
wouldn't be supprised if they blew up some of their own Troops... Which we would
never hear about!! They have gone crazy over this Gaza Strip (which is worthless now) as "Swamp Land in Florida"!!!
LYNN SHEDLER
Comment by Deborah Ivy Thorsos on April 8, 2009 at 1:59am
Hi,
I feel for both Palistine and Isreal. I am not giving up hope that they would stop harming each other and become friends and coexist peacefully. I love all people and do not take sides. I want the best for all. Over the years despie the tentions there, I heard of some Palistinians and Isrealis becoming friends and even marrying one another.
Debbie
a loving Jew

Latest Activity

Lucy Williams updated their profile
Jul 5, 2023
Sandra Gutierrez Alvez updated their profile
Oct 1, 2022
DallasBoardley updated their profile
Feb 8, 2022
RADIOAPOLLON1242 AIGOKEROS PANOS updated their profile
Feb 2, 2022
Shefqet Avdush Emini updated their profile
Jul 2, 2021
Ralph Corbin updated their profile
Jun 25, 2021
Marques De Valia updated their profile
Mar 24, 2021
SSEAYP - South-East Asian Youth liked David Califa's discussion Flash Banners Here
Feb 29, 2020

© 2024   Created by David Califa. Managed by Eyal Raviv.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service