I Shall Not Hate: A Gaza Doctor's Journey on the Road to Peace and Human Dignity

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I Shall Not Hate: A Gaza Doctor's Journey on the Road to Peace and Human Dignity

4.2 of 5 stars 4.20 · rating details · 1,265 ratings · 296 reviews

By turns inspiring and heart-breaking, hopeful and horrifying, I Shall Not Hate is Izzeldin Abuelaish's account of an extraordinary life. A Harvard-trained Palestinian doctor who was born and raised in the Jabalia refugee camp in the Gaza Strip and "who has devoted his life to medicine and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians" (New York Times), Abuelaish has be...more

Hardcover, 256 pages

Published January 4th 2011 by Walker & Company (first published April 27th 2010)

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May 04, 2013 Cat rated it 5 of 5 stars

Be warned, don't read this book in public. In spite of knowing what was coming I was unable to stop tearing up, or just outright crying. In fact, I had to take breaks in order to pull myself together.

The book didn't grip me from the beginning but as I followed Izzeldin's story I became more and more awe-inspired by him. It wasn't just his attitude which, in itself, is extraordinary given his experiences, nor was it what he has achieved in spite of the obstacles in his way. It was his ability to...more

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Apr 15, 2012 Randa Aburamadan added it · review of another edition

يضرب أبو العيش في هذا الكتاب مثلا رائعا للعفو والمصالحة،
يوضح أساس سلام دائم في الأراضي المقدسة".
جيمي كارتر، الرئيس الأمريكي الأسبق
اليوم نزل في الاسواق كتاب "لن أكره" للدكتور الفلسطيني عز الدين أبو العيش، قصتو معروفه في كل العالم كيف استشهدوا بناتو التلاته في العدوان الأخير على غزة.. بس اللي ما بيتصدق هو كيف لهلأ بدو سلام.. إقرأو الكتاب لتعرفوا حياة هادا الشخص غير العادي

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May 09, 2011 Donna Burtwistle-Popplewell rated it 3 of 5 stars

Certainly an amazing memoir; a story that does not leave you. Dr. Abuelaish deftly and clearly explains how his refusal to hate the soldiers who fired upon his home, killing three of his daughters, a niece and injuring other children stems from his upbringing. Born into a Gazan refugee camp, he knows only poverty, injustice and humiliation. Yet, through his parents' support and determination to receive a solid education, Izzeldin works to earn high marks and admission to Cairo University to beco...more

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Jun 23, 2011 Cheryl rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, memoir, favorites

The name of the book is I SHALL NOT HATE, but who wrote the narrative? The cover lists Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish as the author, but there is another script writer in all our lives, a Ghost Writer, whose pen can be an antagonist to our potential in the world.

In 2008, after a stunning diagnosis, Nadia Abuelaish died leaving Izzeldin, known as the "Gaza doctor", and eight children. Thirty-four days later three surviving daughters and a niece were killed by Israeli tank shells while huddled in their be...more

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Feb 20, 2012 Mish rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Mish by: Kaylene

Shelves: favourite, library-friends-books, memoir, non-fiction, 2011

No words can describe the horrific events this man had to endure and witness. Yet to come out of it all with hope, compassion and understanding for the future of the Palestinians and Israelis is just inspiring. Izzeldin is a remarkable man. Highly recommend it

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Apr 20, 2013 Magdy Shonoda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: novel

Despite any criticisms/comments I might make here, I find this book a really rewarding read. - one of the best I have read to date.

I always tend to look at people in this way:
"My heart always told me that people are inherently good. My experience suggests otherwise.
Are people mostly good? No. People are just people. It is what they do that makes them good or bad. A moment of love, even in a bad man can give meaning to a life.."
I find this view is very relevant here.

I cannot imagine what Dr Abuel...more

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Feb 12, 2013 Aunnalea rated it 3 of 5 stars

The story was fascinating, and sad, and hopeful, and tragic. The author did a good job of describing the oppression of the people of Gaza (or at least I imagine he did, as I've never experienced it). However, he talked about "choosing not to hate" without ever going into any explanation of HOW he was able to do that. There was very little insight into his personal process, which seems to me like it should have been one of the most interesting parts. He also tends to gloss over a lot of differenc...more

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Nov 28, 2012 David P rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a raw and emotional autobiography, well written by Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish, born and raised in a Gaza a refugee camp. Here are insights into the life experienced in and around Gaza, "a time bomb in the process of imploding," and also into the author's own life as a scrupulous and dedicated physician. For most people of Gaza, life is festering poverty while hemmed between Israeli barbed wire and Hamas guns, and the title concisely describes the author's own creed. The long introduction to...more

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Aug 01, 2012 Karen.s rated it 4 of 5 stars

I stayed up till 3:30 am reading this book, tears soaking my pillow. I was watching live on Israeli tv when he was interviewed as half his family was wiped out in an accidental mistargeting of a missile from an Israeli tank in the Gaza war of 2008-2009. It was blood-curdling and something I won't forget. This man has every reason to hate Israelis but doesn't due to his own strong, unshakeable convictions. He is inspiring not only for his belief in peace no matter what happens but his tenacity in...more

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Jul 31, 2012 Esmeralda rated it 4 of 5 stars

In this heartbreaking (yet strangely uplifting) memoir, Abuelaish relates his life—growing up in poverty in a Palestinian refugee camp, slaving so that he could raise enough money to go to medical school, and his rising career coincident with his growing family. Despite losing 3 daughters and a niece to an Israeli military action, Abuelaish preaches that love, not hate, is required to bring peace. Abuelaish’s story is engrossing and tragic, yet I couldn’t help but think about all of the sufferin...more

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May 21, 2012 Pamela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish has survived more heartbreak and suffering than any one man should ever have to endure. A Palestinian doctor who was born and raised in the Gaza Strip, Dr. Abuelaish has devoted his life to treating all patients on both sides of the Palestinian/Israeli border. Following the sudden death of his wife from cancer in late 2008, Dr. Abuelaish and his eight children were still trying to piece their lives back together when another tragedy struck. On January 16, 2009, Israeli she...more Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish has survived more heartbreak and suffering than any one man should ever have to endure. A Palestinian doctor who was born and raised in the Gaza Strip, Dr. Abuelaish has devoted his life to treating all patients on both sides of the Palestinian/Israeli border. Following the sudden death of his wife from cancer in late 2008, Dr. Abuelaish and his eight children were still trying to piece their lives back together when another tragedy struck. On January 16, 2009, Israeli shells hit his home, killing three daughters and a niece. Yet through it all, Dr. Abuelaish still holds to his beliefs and steadfastly maintains that he will not hate.

It's hard to read this book and not think of recent headlines covering the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. When I heard of the latest clashes, I did notice myself truly paying attention to the number of people injured and killed on both sides. For me, this book has forever put a human voice to those casualty numbers we sometimes hear and always quickly forget.

This book was difficult to read on many levels, but that should not deter others from reading it. First, as a person who has never traveled to Middle East and has not be raised in the Muslim faith, this book was complicated when it came to names of places and events as well as when trying to understand distances and historical references. I would have liked to have seen many more maps and translation guides to explain the culture and the region. Secondly, this book was obviously very tragic, sometimes beyond words. On sheer human heartbreaking terms, this is a family that lost a mother, three sisters and a niece all within the span of a few short months.

However, for all of the difficulties I had reading this book, I would still recommend I Shall Not Hate. As the title indicates, Dr. Abuelaish chooses to live his life as a model for all citizens of this planet. And for that reason, his story transcends politics and religion. His is a human story of what can happen and how each of us has a choice in how we respond.

In exchange for my honest review, I received a complimentary copy of this advanced reader from the folks at LibraryThing.com via their Early Reviewers program. The opinions in this review are all mine. (less)

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Nov 01, 2011 Steve Cran rated it 5 of 5 stars

During the Gaza siege Shlomi Eldar a news caster on Israeli television interviewed a fertility expert from Gaza. Live and on air the viewer had the window of opportunity to see and experience Palestinian pain. Live and on the air over a cell phone a doctor from Gaza recounted how an Israeli tank fired a shell that smashed through the wall of this doctor's house killing his three daughters and niece. Shlomi Eldar could not hang up the fun and excused himself from the newscast. Backstage he contac...more During the Gaza siege Shlomi Eldar a news caster on Israeli television interviewed a fertility expert from Gaza. Live and on air the viewer had the window of opportunity to see and experience Palestinian pain. Live and on the air over a cell phone a doctor from Gaza recounted how an Israeli tank fired a shell that smashed through the wall of this doctor's house killing his three daughters and niece. Shlomi Eldar could not hang up the fun and excused himself from the newscast. Backstage he contacted the Israeli Defense Forces to get help for the his friend the doctor. The video is shown a over youtube.

Who was this doctor Abuelish that his home should be shelled by an Israeli tank? Was he a wanted Hamas terrorist? A Fatah soldier? Far from it he was a peace loving fertility doctor who treated both Israeli and Palestinian patients with equal care and professionalism. His Israeli colleagues spoke highly of him and admired his dedication to his profession and patients. Dr. Abuelish believed in peace, love, brotherhood and humanity. He believes in a two state solution and in equal honor and respect for both Israelis and Palestinians.

Izzeldin Abuelish was born and raised in the Jabaliya refugee camp in Gaza. His family voluntarily left their native village in the Negev and settled in the Gaza strip. His father met his second wife on the way and divorced his first wife but left her well provided for. Izzeldin worked selling eggs and other good in order to make money for his family to survive. Before the first intifada broke out he held jobs working on Israeli Moshavs and farms building Chicken coops. It was while working in Israel that he formed relationships with Israelis and he found out they were not the monsters he had always believed they were.

While growing up his mother Dalal forced him to study and take his studies carefully. She was rather forceful about it and to this day the good doctor is greatful. Education was the key to escaping poverty. Dr. Izzeldin travelled abroad and received degrees both in Israel and abroad. It is through the medical profession that he sought to build bridges between Israeli Jews and PALESTINIANS.

Life in Gaza has always been a struggle especially after the second intifada. Dr. Abuelish describes his experience crossing over Israeli checkpoints and the degrading experience that many Palestinians receive at the hands of Israeli soldiers. Thaks to check points and searches journeys that should be not more than a half an hour end up taking half the day. Modern day life in Gaza is a prison with Egypt shut completely off and Israeli war ships monitoring the water a mile and a half off the coast nothing gets in or out without Israeli approval. Often times food and vital medicine is blocked and the only way to get this material is though smugglers tunnels which are routinely blocked or bombed. Trying to travel around is difficult for Palestinians and that is an understatement. Life in Gaza is one of deprivation. There is rubble and destroyed building everywhere. Open sewers flow through the streets and people are packed in quarters like sardines.

Izzeldin Abuelish was dedicated to peace before his daughters and niece perished in the attack and he remains dedicated to peace. His daughters attended peace camps in the US making friends with other Israeli teenager. The experience was profound, both Israelis and Palestinians learned to over come their trust issues and see the other as humans just like they are.

Dr. Abuelish has since formed an organization called "Daughters for Life" The organization is dedicated towards peace and bettering he life of Palestinians. I give this book five stars. Well written with great attention given to details. Dr. Abuelsih looks with a critical eye at both sides and objectively sees the flaws and good points within them both. He is truly a worker for peace.
(less)

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Oct 18, 2011 Maria rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone interested in world peace

The author Izzeldin Auelaish needs to be commended forr his strength and resolve to not hate despite all that he has gone through. I like the following quotes:

p. 136 "We have a saying that goes like this: The mother is the school. If you prepare this school with the rigth equipment, the students will be smarter and more successful and so will the nation." Women are so important So that is why he is trying to find better ways for women of the middle east.

p. 228 "I hope to inspire people in this w...more

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Oct 10, 2011 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Very inspiring story told by an amazing, admirable man. I've had the pleasure also of listening to him give a talk about his life and his ideas for a brighter future. I found in the talk he was able to communicate more passionately which increased the sincerity and honesty of his words and also the severity of the suffering jn Gaza. Although the book was powerful the writing style reduced the emotional impact of the words on the page. I usually cry hearing stories like these but o did not shed q...more

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Oct 02, 2011 Esti rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"I will keep moving, but I need you to join me in this journey.”

Namanya Izzeldin. Penampilannya biasa, tak istimewa. Dia lahir sebagai anak pertama dari istri kedua seorang pria Palestina yang tinggal di kamp pengungsian Jabalia City. Tetapi di sosok biasa-biasa ini tersimpan sebuah jiwa dan hati yang luar biasa.

Terlahir dari keturunan tetua desa yang terusir karena pendudukan Israel, sejak kecil hidup Izzeldin tidaklah mudah. Dia harus membantu sang ibu mengais rejeki di kamp pengungsian yang p...more

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Aug 26, 2011 Rhonda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

Izzeldin Abuelaish is a Palestinian doctor who travels across the Israeli border to treat patients in the hospital.
Three of his daughters and a niece are killed when an Israeli bomb hits their house. Izzeldin chooses not to HATE, but to press on for peace. What a remarkable true story!

Favorite Quotes:

"The last decade has been a particularly disappointing period in this grinding conflict that keeps us apart. Our leaders bicker like children, breaking promises, behaving like bullies, keeping the...more Izzeldin Abuelaish is a Palestinian doctor who travels across the Israeli border to treat patients in the hospital.
Three of his daughters and a niece are killed when an Israeli bomb hits their house. Izzeldin chooses not to HATE, but to press on for peace. What a remarkable true story!

Favorite Quotes:

"The last decade has been a particularly disappointing period in this grinding conflict that keeps us apart. Our leaders bicker like children, breaking promises, behaving like bullies, keeping the kettle of trouble boiling. The people I talk to---patients, doctors, neighbors in Gaza, friends in Israel---are not like our leaders. They worry about my family as I worry about their families. We all lament the lost decades, the uncertain futire. However, as incredible as it may sound to someone watching us from afar, we believe in each other and in our ability to share this Holy Land. It is quite astonishing to realize how similar our two peoples are, in the way we raise our children, in the importance fo family and extended family, and in the animated style with which we like to tell stories. We're argumentative, expressive, emotional people. We share the Semitic religions and languages. We have many more similarities than differences, and yet for sixty years we haven't been able to bridge the divide between us." p 121

"All I could do was try to explainthat there is a way out of this turmoil: that we need to move forward and stop being mired in what went before. It sounds simplistic, but it's the only way to get out of the mud our feet are stuck in. The occupation and oppressin of the people in Gaza is like a cancer, a disease that needs to be treated. It's all about the will to solve the problem rather than the determination to keep the anger front and center. Arguing over who did what and who suffered more is not getting us anywhere. We have to moev on; we have to build trust and mutual respect between the peoples. You can't respect someone you don't know. So let's get to know one another by listening and opening our eyes to the other side. We need to encourage respecct and equality. Also, we need to focus on realistic goals. Grand plans for peace have failed us. We need to look at what's possible right now; working toward both sides having more equal conditions, with equal rights and mutual respect." p 123

"The Israeli patients I treat don't care that I'm a Palestinian doctor; they care about having someone to help them with their medical problem. The Gazans don't care that i work in Israel; they care about finding security in their lives and getting treatment for their children. And yet I continue to meet people who are shocked that a Palestinian doctor treats Jewish patients. There is a presumption that we hate each other, that each side wants the other side dead. I'm sure those sentiments exist among some people, but in my experience it's not nearly the number of people the rhetoric suggests." p 134

"From the moment we got home---with smashed buildings, collapsed bridges, and rubble all around us---I realized that I had two options to choose from: I could take the path of darkness or the path of light. If I choose the path of darkness, of poisoness hate and revenge, it would be like choosing to fall into the complications and the depression that come with disease. To choose the path of light, I had to focus on the future and my children." p 193

"I believe everything happens for a reason, and that even my family's terrible loss serves a purpose. The deaths of my daughters and niece opened the Israeli's eyes to the suffering on the other side. That's the message I want to spread: allow yourself to see what it's like to be in our shoes. The tragedy certainly led to the cease-fire and opened the hearts and minds of thier Israeli public, the whole Palestinian diaspora, and the international community to the misery the Gazans face day after day. I believe that there is a better future for us because of what this tragedy taught the world. There is hope; the past is only there to learn from." p 198(less)

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May 28, 2011 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: current-issues, biographies

I grabbed this book from the "New Non-Fiction" shelf at the library, and I'm glad that I did. Since I effectively knew nothing about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict before reading this story, it was extremely informative in addition to being, as intended, thought-provoking. Izzeldin Abuelaish is a Palestinian doctor from the Gaza Strip who worked at an Israeli hospital before three of his daughters died in 2009 when an Israeli tank round hit his house. Apparently he has become pretty well-known...more

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Apr 26, 2011 Kathleen Hagen added it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-audio-books, 2011-nonfiction

I Shall Not Hate, by Izzeldin Abuelaish, Narrated by Patrick Lawlor, produced by Tantor Media, downloaded from audible.com.

Publisher’s note says it as well as I could:
Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish - now known simply as the "Gaza doctor" - captured hearts and headlines around the world in the aftermath of horrific tragedy: On
January 16, 2009, Israeli shells hit his home in the Gaza Strip, killing three of his daughters and his niece. By turns inspiring and heartbreaking, hopeful
and horrifying, I Shall N...more

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Apr 16, 2011 Cameling rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: memoir

This is an amazingly inspirational memoir by a Palestinian doctor, born in a refugee camp in Gaza, and who, after his wife died, then lost 3 of his daughters when the Israelis fired into his home in the Gaza strip. His daughters died simply because they had been sleeping against "the wrong wall" that evening.

Although angry and deeply grieving the death of his 3 daughters, Dr Abuelaish felt no hatred towards the Israelis who had conducted the unprovoked attacks. His live interview on Israeli tel...more This is an amazingly inspirational memoir by a Palestinian doctor, born in a refugee camp in Gaza, and who, after his wife died, then lost 3 of his daughters when the Israelis fired into his home in the Gaza strip. His daughters died simply because they had been sleeping against "the wrong wall" that evening.

Although angry and deeply grieving the death of his 3 daughters, Dr Abuelaish felt no hatred towards the Israelis who had conducted the unprovoked attacks. His live interview on Israeli television just hours after their deaths captured world attention not just on the plight of the Palestinians living in the Gaza but also astonished by the absence of calls for revenge, a call which many would have expected. Instead, he called for peace and cooperation between the 2 sides, for an understanding and acceptance of each other as individuals deserving of respect.

His memoir doesn't shy away from the tough moments in his life. The hardship and starvation he went through as a child in a poor refugee village, an eldest son having to care for his family because of his father's illness, and because, as a second family, his father's first wife and their relations made sure that his family were despised and shunned in their village. His determination and the mentoring by some teachers allowed him to do well enough to earn scholarships to the University of Cairo to study medicine.

Despite the continual humiliations he was forced to endure as a Palestinian living on what Israel believed to be their land, he was fortunate at one point in his young life, to work for a kind Israeli farming family who treated him as any other young child, who offered him kindness and more importantly, respect as a human being. He said it was this moment that he started to question why Palestinians were treated differently and why they were not afforded the same living conditions as the Israelis over the border.

As a doctor, he continued to excel in his work and among doctors he found the equality he sought as a child. He was the first Palestinian to work in an Israeli hospital. He never lost his objective in treating all patients equally and respectfully regardless of nationality and race, and while he was angry that Palestinian hospitals continued to be poorly equipped because of lack of funding and also because of embargoes by the Israelis, his anger was already directed at unfair policies.

As a reader, I am appalled at what he's had to go through in his life's journey, and at the same time, I am inspired and humbled by this amazing man. If we had more individuals like him in governments around the world, I do believe we'd have a better and safer world. (less)

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Apr 06, 2011 Sharlene rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult, educational

This is not the type of book I love for the writing, but I did feel I learned something from the author. It was interesting to see things from the perspective of someone who comes from so different a situation. My eyes were opened to some of the difficulties in the Gaza strip, and I could understand some of the issues behind the continuous fighting.

I am impressed with the author's desire for peace (despite violence done to his own family) and the part he is playing in becoming a peacemaker. I j...more

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Jan 01, 2011 Louise rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: memoirs

Such horrific tragedy has been bestowed upon this family living in the Gaza Strip. Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish lost his wife to leukemia, three of his daughters and a neice in a bombing of his home and suffered irreparable grief.

The story is heartbreaking is asad and full of struggle and pain. However, it is Dr. Abuelaish’s response to the loss of his children that made news and headlines around the world as well as winning him humanitarian awards. Most people would seek revenge in this instance but...more

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Apr 17, 2011 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: autobio-bio, history-politics

A very personal and inspiring tale of perseverance, love, loss and forgiveness. Dr. Abuelaish, who was born and raised in Gaza, tells the story of his childhood and how he came to believe that education and forgiveness were the way out of the poverty and despair prevalent in his community. He reiterates that there is no difference that cannot be overcome by Israeli's and Palestinian's simply getting to know each other one on one and having respect for each other as human beings. It may seem simp...more

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Nov 25, 2012 Lorri rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: personally-own, inspiration, memoirs, non-fiction

I Shall Not Hate – A Gaza Doctor’s Journey on the Road to Peace and Human Dignity, by Izzeldin Abuelaish is an incredibly compelling and humane memoir taking place under extreme circumstances.

What is amazing about this story is the fact that Dr. Abuelaish, a Palestinian Muslim working in Israel, lost three of his daughters and one niece to the shelling of his house on January 16, 2009, and he has come through those events without hatred for the Israelis who murdered his family members, and witho...more I Shall Not Hate – A Gaza Doctor’s Journey on the Road to Peace and Human Dignity, by Izzeldin Abuelaish is an incredibly compelling and humane memoir taking place under extreme circumstances.

What is amazing about this story is the fact that Dr. Abuelaish, a Palestinian Muslim working in Israel, lost three of his daughters and one niece to the shelling of his house on January 16, 2009, and he has come through those events without hatred for the Israelis who murdered his family members, and without hatred for any Israeli. His daughters, Bessam, 21; Mayar, 15; Aya, 14; and his niece, Noor, 17 were innocent victims in a situation that is ongoing today.

Dr. Abuelaish has left no stone unturned, no detail, no matter how minute is left out in describing the life of hardship he and his family led, and the events that led up to the shelling of his house. The story is not just about his family and their tragic suffering, but also about life as a Palestinian in general, living in in a refugee camp on the Gaza Strip. He tells of the extreme difficulties finding work in Israel, and of the tremendous hardships one faced crossing the border to both enter Israel and leave. One never knew if they would be able to return home on any given day. A person often waited for hours to cross, even if the guards knew you, and the forms of harassment inflicted on the Palestinians were demeaning and dehumanizing.

Working in hospitals in Israel afforded him the opportunity to treat and help Israelis, medically speaking. It was not always easy, but once the patient understood that Dr. Abuelaish was honest, ethical and would give the best of care he could, the patient began to trust him, and hate and fear slowly subsided. He believes the medical community can break through barriers on the road to peace and coexistence. He feels that the sensitivity and compassion shown by doctors, nurses, etc., affords a sense of peace within a tumultuous environment. In his eyes, the medical community knows no boundaries, and treats each person as an individual, regardless of their ethnicity.

Food was difficult to come by (it still is), and the bare essentials are often non-existent, or extremely hard to find. Life was filled with poverty, and family members barely eked out enough money to survive. Times haven’t changed much over the years, and that is one of the major themes in I Shall Not Hate.

Most citizens in Israel know his story, as he told it live on air, during the evening news, while it was happening. He had called his friend (who worked at the station), who saw Abuelaish’s name come up on his mobile phone, so he answered the call, and played the conversation, interrupting other news. The pain and struggles over the deaths of his children were broadcast live, and his emotions resounded throughout the airwaves. The panic and horror reverberated within every crevice in Israel. People still speak about it, today.

I Shall Not Hate is filled with vivid details (bombs and jets whizzing by and so much more in depth scenarios), some so vivid they are difficult to read, and after reading them, more difficult to comprehend and contemplate. The inhumanity and insensitivity of man is beyond words, beyond the mind assimilating the tragedies that rained brutality and horror on innocent individuals. Dr. Abuelaish’s story is one of haunting imagery, one of courage and passion, one of incredible determination to bring forth truth and reconciliation between two lands. Words seem inadequate to describe this book.

His story is the story of his children and niece, and a tribute to their lives, lives lived under extreme duress, lives lost for no apparent reason. The book is compelling, and a page turner in the sense that I wanted to learn more about his family, their lives and their experiences. Although often painful to read (tears were often shed while reading the book), I have become educated on the dynamics that occurred and seem to be continuous. Abuelaish’s ideals and ethics are those of a true humanitarian, and within his mind and heart lies a man who reaches out to others for humanity’s sake. Anger is not a part of his being, and he believes that medicine and science can bridge the gap towards peace between Palestine and Israel. Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish has moved mountains in trying to call for peace and understanding, no matter the diversity of individuals. His remarkable book, I shall Not Hate is an example of that, and a story that will stay with me throughout the years.

Why not take a moment to visit his memorial website “Daughters for Life“, dedicated to his family members. He has also set up a “Daughters for Life Foundation“.

I want to thank Library Thing for the Early Reviewer’s copy of I Shall Not Hate.(less)

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Oct 03, 2012 Lia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Funny story: I actually met Dr. Abuelaish a month or so after the bombing that killed his children occurred. He was in the United States, and visited my university to give a speech. I was there mostly for the class credit I got from going, but it is a speech I remembered mostly for its rambling storytelling style and the tears rolling down his cheeks as he talked about his daughters. I didn't realize it was about the same doctor until I received the book and thought the names of the girls sounde...more

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Mar 19, 2011 Darryl rated it 5 of 5 stars

This heartbreaking yet optimistic and remarkable memoir by a Palestinian OB/GYN who lost three daughters in an accidental bombing attack by Israeli Defense Forces in 2008 begins with the author's birth in a camp in the Gaza Strip, seven years after his father's family fled for their lives and abandoned their home during the 1948 Palestinian exodus (Nakba). Abuelaish overcame crushing poverty and difficult odds through hard work, studying at night by the light of a lamp, and won a scholarship to...more This heartbreaking yet optimistic and remarkable memoir by a Palestinian OB/GYN who lost three daughters in an accidental bombing attack by Israeli Defense Forces in 2008 begins with the author's birth in a camp in the Gaza Strip, seven years after his father's family fled for their lives and abandoned their home during the 1948 Palestinian exodus (Nakba). Abuelaish overcame crushing poverty and difficult odds through hard work, studying at night by the light of a lamp, and won a scholarship to study medicine at Cairo University. Despite the deplorable living conditions in the Gaza Strip, he decided to return there after he completed his training, to serve the people who nurtured and supported him.

Abuelaish was befriended by Israeli citizens in childhood, when he worked and lived with a Jewish family for several months as a teenager, and during the early years of his medical career, when he referred difficult cases to doctors in Israel who were impressed by his knowledge and good will. He became one of the first Palestinian physicians to complete a residency program and serve on the medical staff at an Israeli hospital, where he continued to earn the respect and devotion of his colleagues and patients. Through these interactions he realized that many Israelis did not hate Palestinians and wished to live in peace alongside them, despite repeated wars and the extremist positions of leaders and politicians on both sides.

Abuelaish worked tirelessly in support of the Palestinian people, realizing that medicine could serve as a bridge to connect well meaning Israelis and Palestinians to overcome the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. However, the escalation of the battles between Palestinian insurgents and the Israeli Defense Forces made his goals more impossible to achieve, particularly after the crackdown and bombing campaign that occurred after Hamas took control of the Palestinian Parliament in 2006. After his wife's death in 2008, Abuelaish decided to emigrate with his children, to provide better lives and opportunities for them and to ensure their safety from the escalating violence in Gaza. Unfortunately, just before they were able to leave, an Israeli bomb ripped through the apartment building that he had built for his family, killing three of his daughters and a beloved niece. The tragedy was broadcast live on Israeli television, as he described the aftermath to a reporter by phone just after the bomb struck (a brief report about the tragedy by Al Jazeera English television can be viewed here).

Despite the personal tragedy, Abuelaish, who now lives with his remaining children in Toronto, remains optimistic about the prospects for peace in his homeland, due largely to the many friends he has made in Israel and Gaza. In his opinion, peace will come when leaders and politicians act in the broad interests of Israelis and Palestinians, rather than pursuing narrow goals or listening to the voices of extremists on both sides. He strongly supports an increased role for women in Palestinian society, as he believes that they are more likely to seek a peaceful resolution to the crisis than their often belligerent male counterparts. In honor of his three deceased daughters he has set up a foundation, Daughters for Life, which will provide scholarships for Palestinian women to attend high school and university, and create or support programs aimed to improve the lives of women in Gaza and the West Bank.

The book ends with a touching tribute to his late daughters and beloved wife, a list of lessons that he has learned, and a call to action to ensure that the crisis can be resolved once and forever.

I Shall Not Hate is an amazing story, and Dr. Abuelaish's celebration of life and belief in his fellow man in the face of personal tragedy should provide inspiration to everyone that we can solve the world's problems, if we care about our fellow men and women as brothers and sisters and take the time to listen to each other. (less)

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Nov 10, 2011 Halida rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Izzeldin Abuelaish benar-benar membuka mata saya melalui pikiran-pikirannya yang tertuang dalam 'I Shall Not Hate'. Abuelaish merupakan cerminan semangat dan harapan; dia telah membuktikan —dan masih terus memperjuangkan— bahwa perubahan dapat dilakukan.
Tumbuh dalam lingkungan miskin pengungsi kamp Jabalia telah menempanya menjadi manusia yang lebih tegar. Dalam kondisi yang serba kekurangan dan senantiasa berada di bawah ancaman perang, ia berhasil menamatkan sekolahnya dan mendapat beasiswa se...more

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Aug 13, 2011 Modern Girl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography, ebook, education, health, interfaith, islam, politics, social-justice, non-fiction

This is a beautiful book. I want to buy copies and leave them in mailboxes for people who could benefit from this book. I enjoy listening to moderates on both sides of the Israel-Palestine situation. Dr. Abuelaish is a well spoken, peace loving and tolerance building Palestinian. I believe his account of his life would really help to open the eyes of some who are narrow minded. 3/4 of the way through the book, he cites the International Red Cross, and some other organizations who use harsher wor...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Aban (Aby) rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a remarkable book written by a doctor who was born and lived in Gaza. His childhood was spent in dire poverty. (I can't get out of my mind the picture of his mother using a basin to wash dishes, bathe the children, clean the house, and then cleaning out the basin so that it served as a bassinet for the baby!) At school, the author's potential was recognized by his teachers who encouraged him to continue his education and not give up, which he could so easily have done, as he had to also...more This is a remarkable book written by a doctor who was born and lived in Gaza. His childhood was spent in dire poverty. (I can't get out of my mind the picture of his mother using a basin to wash dishes, bathe the children, clean the house, and then cleaning out the basin so that it served as a bassinet for the baby!) At school, the author's potential was recognized by his teachers who encouraged him to continue his education and not give up, which he could so easily have done, as he had to also work to support his family. He went on to become a doctor specializing in infertility and in public health, studying in Cairo, the UK, Europe, Harvard, and in Israel. As a doctor, he worked both in Gaza and in Israel, having to bear the aggravation of weekly crossing the border between the two countries. He married and had a family of eight children. His life was shattered by two events occurring within months of each other: in September 2008 his beloved wife died of leukaemia and in January 2009 his house was hit by Israeli rockets that killed three of his daughters and a niece. This book is a result of that incident. He could so easily have been filled with hate. Instead he decided that " revenge and counter-revenge is suicidal, that mutual respect, equality and coexistence is the only reasonable way forward". He also set up a foundation to provide educational scholarships for girls and women (regardless of race and religion) in the Middle East. He believed it important to empower women in that part of the world as they were more likely to search for peaceful solutions to conflict, rather than war. Dr Abuelaish now lives in Toronto (though it appears that he will return to Gaza to continue his work) and has graciously agreed to attend my book club in April when we will be talking about his book.

This book is important for so many reasons. It shows what life in Gaza is like, with all the restrictions imposed on its people by Israel. (Just imagine, he was unable to attend the funeral of his three daughters because he could not get a permit to cross the border from Israel into Gaza in time!) It emphasizes dialogue and understanding as a way to solve the world's problems. (What a contrast to the situation in the US where the gun lobby - after the terrible shootings in Newtown, Conn., - declared that the only way to preserve life was to put guns into the hands of good people i.e. teachers and principals in schools!) It is also significant in that it clearly shows that many (I believe most) Muslims are in favour of peace, thus contradicting the widely held stereotype of Muslims as terrorists. Furthermore, he shows that not all Muslim men believe in limiting opportunities for women; that they can be loving to their daughters and desirous of helping them fulfil their potential. This book is an eye-opener and well worth reading.(less)

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Sep 28, 2011 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

For me, this book was devastating in its effect. Izzeldin Abuelaish is clearly brilliant: as one of only about 6 Gazan boys to obtain a scholarship to study medicine in Egypt, and following it up during the rest of his life with numerous other sought after positions and grants to work overseas and with the UN; these things are amazing not only in that they were offered to one man, but also in that he was able to take them up, in the impossible circumstances with which he grappled where he lived,...more For me, this book was devastating in its effect. Izzeldin Abuelaish is clearly brilliant: as one of only about 6 Gazan boys to obtain a scholarship to study medicine in Egypt, and following it up during the rest of his life with numerous other sought after positions and grants to work overseas and with the UN; these things are amazing not only in that they were offered to one man, but also in that he was able to take them up, in the impossible circumstances with which he grappled where he lived, on the Gaza strip in Israel.

But it is the shining morality of this man which dazzles me. Through all the opportunities that were presented to him, Abuelaish refused to abandon his homeland or his people. Though faced with frustrations which would break anyone, just in leaving his camp to go to work each day, having to pass through erratic border crossings and be at the mercy of petty and power hungry and ignorant guards daily and despite plenty of opportunities to take himself and his family away from the deprivation and fear and potential-sapping environment in which he found himself, Abuelaish continued to love his country and to wish to remain a Palestinian, and to try to make a difference to the lives of his own people. He leaves us in no doubt that he is sensitive to the humiliations he is forced to endure each day, and that his pain is raw and searing for his people.

He is aware of the different way of life which exists outside the refugee camps, having studied at Harvard and lived in London for his studies, and he mourns the enforced separations from his family his commuting to work force upon him (a short car trip from his home in a normal country: often an impossible or multi hours endurance test in Israel) but above all, he refuses to hate - he makes his life as liveable as it can be, and he tries to influence for good as many people as he can. He and his wife send his daughters to camps in which they are brought into contact with Israeli children their own age, to break down the barriers of hate which can so easily build up when disenfranchised and deprived of human dignity because of your race by another people. They give speeches and are elected as leaders. He describes his experiences with generous, warm Israelis as a child and as a doctor, which led him to the realisation that, despite the actions of their governments, they have more in common with his people than they have differences.

Abuelaish refuses not only to hate, he refuses the simplistic prejudice of race against race, in order to raise children whose teachers fight to have them in their classes because they are so motivated and visionary in a world shrunk down to damaged souls. When some of his children are decapitated and otherwise blown to pieces in his house during the Gazan attack of 2008 and he is asked if he hates the Israelis now, he replies " but which of them should I hate?" He refuses to generalise his grief into prejudice, or allow it to stand as a barrier to understanding.

After these experiences, the doctor decided to protect his remaining children and live in Canada for a while, to allow them to realise their potential. But he leaves us in no doubt that he will return to Gaza. He is beginning to believe that the way forward is through women, who seem better equipped to love, and has started a charity to educate girls in the refugee camps, as in circumstances of deprivation their education is often overlooked.

I commend you to this website http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content... which tells in 10 minutes as a news piece the story of what happened to him that day, if you can bear it, and to here: http://www.daughtersforlife.com/found... to donate to his charity. There is also an excellent and inspirational interview with Abuelaish, which was how I first found out about him, here: http://www.themonthly.com.au/i-shall-...

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Feb 02, 2013 Beth Lind rated it 5 of 5 stars

Absolutely inspiring. This book should be required for all humans. Dr. Abuelaish has every reason to hate -- and yet his message is of peace. I thought I understood the Israeli-Palestinian issue in Gaza. I did not. It is so much more than the real estate issue I've surmised from the news.

In a nutshell, Abuelaish grew up in extreme poverty. He was inspired by his mother and teachers to get an education to better himself. As a result, he became a doctor. The dedication to his dream is motivating....more

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About Izzeldin Abuelaish

Izzeldin Abuelaish is a Palestinian medical doctor and founder of the Daughters for Life Foundation.
Before his three daughters were killed by an Israeli tank shell during the Israeli incursion into Gaza,Dr. Abuelaish worked as a researcher at the Gertner Institute at the Sheba Hospital in Tel Aviv and was the first Palestinian doctor to receive a staff position at an Israeli hospital.
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“Tragedy cannot be the end of our lives. We cannot allow it to control and defeat us.” — 8 people liked it

“...you shouldn’t hate something you don’t know, because it may turn out to be the bearer of your greatest good fortune.” — 7 people liked it

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