“I am a physician, and as a consequence, I see things most clearly in medical terms. I am arguing that we need an immunization program, one that injects people with respect, dignity, and equality. One that inoculates them against hatred.”
As a victim of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Abuelaish advocates for peace and unity among the people by being stanch about non-violence. His memoir recounts the extent to which the conflict driven by pure hatred has destroyed lives and homes. Abuelaish took the initiative to move to Canada in order to seek peace and heal from his trauma to nurture forgiveness and pacifism. He aims to also nurture the same pacifism and compassion in people particularly the Israelis and Palestinians. Thus, the assertion expresses his quest to foster respect and love in the hearts of his people for the hate that has lasted for decades to wither.
“That's the thing about war: it's never enough to disable the buildings, to blow holes into their middles; instead, they're hit over and over again, as if to pound them to dust, to disintegrate them, to remove them from the earth, to deny that families ever lived in them.”
Abuelaish is no stranger to the violence and tragedy of the conflict in his homeland. He lost everything before his departure; his daughters were killed after a bombing at his home by the Israeli Army. He has seen first-hand what war is really like and the mindset that keeps the terrors cyclical in nature. The assertion shows that war is beyond the visible destruction but rather it is the obliteration of heritage and even the will to live of the other side. Even though Abuelaish has suffered through the terror of war he still chose absolute pacifism and love.
“It is human nature to seek revenge in the face of relentless suffering. You can’t expect an unhealthy person to think logically.”
Whilst Abuelaish is preaching love and peace, he also expresses the empathy he harbors for those seeking revenge for the atrocities. He understands that his people have gone through so much pain and suffering for many years. Moreover, their homes were obliterated or taken away from them. The quotation denotes that seeking revenge is a natural response to such misery but while that is expected that state of mind is one that requires healing. As he sought healing, he affirms that those who have been wronged cannot be reasonable unless they seek healing.
