Gazan doctor nominated for Nobel

[Scurrilous]

Dr. Abu al-Aish, who lost three daughters to fighting in Gaza, receives news of candidacy for peace prize. 'This prize will make my tragedy into something positive,' he says

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3697803,00.html

<snip>

"Dr. Ezzeldeen Abu al-Aish, a Gazan doctor who lost his three daughters to IDF fire during Israel's offensive in the Strip, has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, Ynet learned Sunday.

Abu al-Aish received a letter from the Nobel Committee officially declaring him a nominee for the prestigious award.

"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 honorary citizen," he said in a telephone conversation from Canada.

"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."

[bemildred]

1. Good, he deserves it, but I'll bet he would rather have his daughters back. nt

[Donald Ian Rankin]

2. To be honest, I don't think this is a good thing.

I feel extraordinarily callous saying this, but from the little I know of him I don't think Dr al-Aish is an appropriate recipient of a Nobel peace prize.

It looks very much to me as though this nomination is intended as a symbolic political statement on the I/P conflict and possibly to a lesser exent justified as a "compensation" for Dr al-Aish's loss, rather than intended than as a recognition of his achievements.

Dr al-Aish's statements on peace are certainly meritorious, but I don't think they're sufficiently notworthy to have been what got him the nomination.

The peace prize should be given to reward people for their actions, not as a political statement or as compensation for their circumstances, I think.

[eyl]

3. FWIW, that's pretty much par for the course for this prize n/t

[Donald Ian Rankin]

5. I think it's gone downhill just recently.

As far as I can see, three of the prizes between 2001 and 2008 - Carter, el Baradei and Gore - were awarded more to piss off George Bush than due to the recipient's actions.

Before that, I think I could make a good case for most of the recipients that they deserved it, or at least that it was being awarded on account of their actions (Kissinger's actions clearly heavily impacted world peace, even if on the side of preventing rather than promoting...)

[oberliner]

6. Who do you think would be a good candidate for the prize?

If you were going to choose someone connected with the I/P conflict, who would you choose - if anyone?

[Donald Ian Rankin]

13. Connected with the IP conflict? At present?

Frankly, I wouldn't. There is no Israeli-Palestinian peace *process*, never mind any actual peace or prospects thereof.

The least worst person I can think of is Daniel Barenboim (thank you for reminding me of his existence in another thread, by the way - I should have remember him on my own accord). But the Nobel Prize can explicitly only be given to living people, and giving it to Barenboim but not Said would feel a bit wrong, I think.

The only person close to power on either who is even making vaguely peaceful noises, as far as I can see, is Abbas, and "making vaguely peaceful noises, while not entirely walking the walk" is not really Nobel peace prize material.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

4. ITA. nt

[GoesTo11]

7. Delete

[Jefferson23]

8. I totally agree is what she posted, ITA.

[GoesTo11]

9. I feel old and out of it. Thanks for correcting me.

I honestly had no idea.

[Jefferson23]

10. No problem!

[ProgressiveMuslim]

11. LOL!

[GoesTo11]

14. Watch me misinterpret LOL now.

No, even I know this one!

[Violet_Crumble]

17. I've still got no idea what ITA means...n/t

[GoesTo11]

18. "I Totally Agree" = "ITA"

I had thought it was a reference to a Hamas leader named Ita who has made some rather unpeaceful pronouncements.

[Violet_Crumble]

19. TFET! IFSD!

That translates as Thanks for explaining that! I feel so dumb! :)

[Alamuti Lotus]

12. I don't believe he's killed enough people to earn a Peace Prize

that aside, best wishes to him on that.

[EFerrari]

15. Interview on Democracy Now!

http://www.democracynow.org/2009/3/20/palestinian_doctor_peace_advocate_recounts_israeli

[azurnoir]

16. Seems 2008 didn't exactly produce a bumper crop

of peace makers, so perhaps that was the reason for his nomination