Izzeldin Abuelaish promotes peace and forgiveness in L'Aquila

Palestinian physician and humanitarian Izzeldin Abuelaish participated in the International Day of Forgiveness in L'Aquila, Italy. During an event at the Palazzetto dei Nobili, Abuelaish shared his personal journey of transforming profound tragedy into a global mission for reconciliation.

In 2009, Abuelaish lost three daughters and a niece during an Israeli tank attack in the Gaza Strip. Despite this loss, he has dedicated his life to combating hatred, a theme explored in his book, ‘Non odierò’ (I Will Not Hate). He emphasized that forgiveness is a vital pillar for global stability and a necessary tool to address modern conflicts, violence, and discrimination.

Abuelaish noted that while personal forgiveness is essential, achieving lasting peace requires addressing structural issues, such as the expansion of Israeli settlements in Gaza and the West Bank, which he identified as a major obstacle to the creation of a contiguous Palestinian state under international law.