7th Annual Sol Kanee Lecture (2009) — Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish Page 1 of 4 is man, and human-made. And it can be 7TH ANNUAL SOL KANEE LECTURE prevented! NOVEMBER 2, 2009 From the first moment, as a believer with deep DR. IZZELDIN ABUELAISH faith, the first message of passion and support and to start behave as a physician who thinks of saving “FORGIVENESS AS A PATHWAY IN THE lives. As a physician, I don’t deal with dead JOURNEY OF PEACE” patients. I deal with living patients, to save their lives. Thanks God, and as I believe, God plans and gives the strength to face the tragedies. And I fully believe that this tragedy was for good from Mr. Murray S. Palay, Board Member, Arthur V. the first moment, because as you know, this Mauro Centre for Peace and Justice: Ladies and craziness in December and January between gentlemen, it is my privilege to welcome the 2009 Palestinians and Israelis was a secret, and the Sol Kanee lecturer on peace and justice, Dr. brigadiers practiced against the Gazan civilians, Izzeldin Abuelaish. that no one knows about it. It was a secret, and the secret must be disclosed. And someone must (Applause) carry the responsibility of that. Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish: Thank you so much, We were planning, me and my daughters, where thank you. It’s a moment that I feel so moved and to go, as I have two offers, one to be at the thrilled, and would love to tell my daughters that University of Haifa, and one to go to the their lives will make a difference in the human University of Toronto. One of my daughters who life, and that’s what we need to look forward. Can were killed, she said, “I want to fly.” we prevent any more tragedies? Can we change course to be creative and save lives? And not to It was a plan to be at 4:30, to be interviewed live have any more tragedies in this world? by the Israeli TV through the cell phone about issues related to women’s health. But then in a For me, as a Palestinian who was born, raised, and sudden, someone in this world does not want the is still living in the Jabalia refugee camp, the voice of peace to be loud, the voice of wisdom. sixteenth of January, even number sixteen, it’s But I think he made a big mistake. The voice of imprinted in my mind, but I fully believe that this wisdom came louder and stronger. Immediately I was for good. It wasn’t for bad. Sixteenth of called my friends who were waiting there in the August 2008, I went—I was in travel just to find a studio. And I think it was a plan by God. This place where can I take my family with me, and to secret must be disclosed to show the brigadiers select between Belgium, Kenya, or Uganda. But and the craziness and the size of suffering the life we can’t plan and we can’t achieve what do Gazans were exposed to. we want. While I am screaming and crying and looking at Sixteenth of August, quarter to five, 2008, I lost my son, Mohammed, who is thirteen years old, I my wife. It’s not easy moment to have eight didn’t think of the killed, I started to think of my th children. But 16 of January, quarter to five, I lost daughter, Shathat, Raida, my niece, my brother, my three precious daughters, niece, and my and my children. And to think of Mohammed, daughters, niece, were severely wounded. I think what is he going to do? How can he run his life from the first moment I realized it was for good. after he lost his sister Bessan, who was his mother, Maybe for the short term, and for the short-term his sister, his friend, everything in his life? run to lose my wife sixteenth of September, it was Bessan, who was the soldier for peace that I send painful, but I think God planned that, this order, to to New Mexico and Santa Fe to be the first lose my wife sixteenth of September, I think, it Palestinian girl in Creativity for Peace Camp. was for her, that she would never cope to see her There, she discovered the other side, the Israeli daughters killed in front of her eyes. So this was side, and that they are similar, and that’s what she the first message, that what is happening in our said. Mohammed look at me, he looked at me, life, what is from God is for good, but what is bad and asked me, “Why are you crying and 7th Annual Sol Kanee Lecture (2009) — Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish Page 2 of 4 screaming? You must be happy.” “Happy of The causes of hatred we must search inside each what?” “You must be happy my sisters are with of us. Not to go outside. It’s inside our hearts. I their mom. Their mom asked for them, and they don’t think anyone of us want to be full of toxins. are happy there.” I said, “I don’t need to worry Hatred is a toxin. It’s noxious and destructive, about my son.” If this thirteen years old is and we must be purified of that. And to be showing me the passion and how can I look purified of that, we must start to find the causes forward, so I have to look forward. behind that which is inside our heart. As a believer, God will never change what is between When I saw them that I don’t want anyone in the people and in people themselves unless they world to witness what I have seen. Those change what is in their hearts and their souls. So beautiful girls became parts, their brains spread we must start the change, and the change is over the ceiling, drowning in a pool of blood. starting inside each of us. Their heads were decapitated for nothing they did. Just full of dreams, of hopes, of education, of life We are facing, as a human being, challenges and and passion to others. it’s the role of leaders. Leaders can’t be leaders if they are not challenging and risk-takers. Today But as you know, we are all human, and we all the world is in need, more than any time ago, for make mistakes. And the past can’t return. I fully leaders who have the moral courage to act believe that what I have lost, what was taken from positively and make a positive difference in me, will never come back. I realized that from the human life. We must not give up, but be first moment. I need to go forward and be determined and work hard. We need to discover motivated by the spirit of those I lost and to do the humanness inside each of us and adopt it as them justice that you mentioned. That justice is our pathway. We have to defend loudly the one of the main needs of humankind, and that humanity that we all belong to, and in this way, what are we looking for. But for justice to we defend ourselves. We must go up, not to go achieve, it needs action, and it’s a matter of action. down in that way. We become closer and humanity brings all of us together. When a I lost three precious daughters, but I am blessed Canadian defends someone in this world, he is with five other children and the future. I believe defending himself. He is not defending someone life like riding a bicycle: to keep balanced, we else; he is defending a humanity that he shares must keep moving. And I assure you, and want with others. Can we speak with a human voice? from every one of you if you face any challenge, Can we discover the humanness inside of each of not a tragedy, he has to keep moving, and I assure us? And that’s what we need. Our children, they you I will keep moving forward more determined discovered it before us, and they practice it. Can and more strengthened. we follow our children in that? And then after that, what comes the choice? The And it comes now to action. It’s good that we are crossroads: the path of light or the path of meeting and willingness to do something and to darkness. I chose the first. This path, the path of talk. Willingness, talking, and meeting is good, light, in the long run is most efficient and right but it is not enough. We must act. Martin Luther choice than to live with hatred or to be consumed King said, “Our lives begin to end the day we with revenge with all the medical consequences. become silent about things that matter. In the end, That no one knows them better than my we will remember not the words of our enemies, profession—heart diseases, hypertension—and I but the silence of our friend”—of our human have to look forward and to be healthy to face any being that we share. Then when we speak about other challenges that I am going to face in the forgiveness, forgiveness depends on truth, and it’s future. I fully believe that the hurt that doesn’t kill important to be honest with each other. It’s a you will strengthen you more than before.