A reflection on Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish’s I Shall Not Hate

Rev. Betsy Simpson
Published 04 November 2024

As President Jimmy Carter puts it, “In this book, Dr. Abuelaish has expressed a remarkable commitment to forgiveness and reconciliation that describes the foundation for a permanent peace in the Holy Land.”

I Shall Not Hate: A Gaza Doctor’s Journey on the Road to Peace and Human Dignity shares Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish’s life story as a Gazan doctor growing up in a refugee camp, persisting in getting educated, obtaining a degree from Harvard, securing a position in an Israeli hospital and continuously crossing from Gaza to Israel. During this time he grew in recognizing the humanity of Israelis, developing his faith as a Muslim, and establishing his own family in Gaza. Then, on January 16, 2009, he suffered horrendous loss when his house was bombed, killing 3 of his daughters and a niece, only months after having lost his wife to disease.

Despite this horrendous pain and grief, Dr. Abuelaish did not seek revenge or harbor hatred for those who were responsible for the deaths of his daughters and niece, and so many others. Instead he has continued to speak out for peace and reconciliation.

Reading his memoir, I can not help but remember Jesus’ call to his followers in Matthew 5:44: “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Forgiveness was His teaching, even from the cross: “Father, forgive them. They know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Jesus came to reconcile humanity to one another and to God. Dr. Abuelaish has lived his life promoting peace and refusing to hate. His book is provocative and powerful.