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| Palestinian doctor nominated for Nobel Peace Prize |
| Harinder Mishra / PTI / Jerusalem Apr 06, 2009, 12:20 IST |
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A Palestinian doctor who braved tragedy and favoured reconciliation with Israel despite losing three daughters in a shelling by the Jewish state's army on his house in Gaza has been nominated for Nobel Peace prize.
Ezzeldeen Abu al-Aish received a letter from the Nobel Committee officially declaring him a nominee for the prestigious award, news portal 'Ynet' reported. His nomination has been also welcomed by Israel.
"I received the news at the end of a meeting with the President of the European parliament while I was visiting Belgium, where I was made an honourary citizen," the Palestinian doctor told the news portal. One of the most dramatic and tragic stories to emerge from 22-days of Israeli offensive against the Hamas ruled Gaza Strip that ended in January occured on January 16 when three daughters and a niece of Abu al-Aish died as a result of shelling by Israel's Army. He would dedicate the prize to the simple people on both sides, Israeli and Palestinian, in the event that he won. The two people "were destined to live together".
"I wouldn't call my first response joy. Personally it is not joyous, but it does encourage me to hope for the two people. This prize will make my tragedy into something positive for the human race. It is a victory for intelligence, a victory for hope for positive change for our two people," he said.
Abu al-Aish's tragedy had struck a cord with the Israelis as well shocking the conscious of the people as he stood in front of the media asking for forgetting the past and living at peace. "The first to call me was (Israeli) Minister Avishai Braverman. He congratulated me and said I represent us all," Abu al-Aish said.
"Winning the prize will be a direct continuation of my activities in favour of a life of peace between two people. The fact that a simple man such as myself is nominated for such a prize only shows that nothing is impossible. The only impossible thing is my daughters' return," he added.
Asked by the news portal if he might consider relinquishing medicine in order to enter politics, the Palestinian doctor said, "Where I find a way to change and help that's where I will be. I am willing to sacrifice my private time for this goal, but right now I want to save lives".
"Medicine brings people together, saves souls, and cures wounds, and this is what we need now," he stressed.
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