“It has always been the dream of every Palestinian father to have a son named Dr. Ali—that child who was born into a poor family before the Nakba, whose parents sacrificed everything they owned just to make him the village doctor.
The character of Dr. Ali in “The Palestinian Exodus” (Al-Taghreba Al-Filastiniyya)—the series that depicts the tragedy of the Nakba and was watched by nearly every Palestinian in the twenty-first century—became the very soul of the story. He was the hero, the doctor, and above all, the embodiment of humanity.
I grew up inspired by that same path. I wanted to be that kind of person—the one who helps everyone, not only through medicine but by easing the burdens of life for many others.
When I entered high school, I printed a small paper with the words “Dr. Ismail Qwaider” written on it. I loved medicine long before I practiced it. My dream was to become a surgeon. I often drifted into daydreams—imagining myself saving someone injured in a car crash, or wounded by gunfire or shrapnel; performing CPR on a cardiac arrest patient; inserting a chest tube in a severe thoracic injury; or placing an endotracheal tube to restore a patient’s breath.
It was a dream, an ambition, a passion—and a love.
I dedicated immense effort to my studies to earn this specialty, to become the “Ali” of my family, the “Ali” among my people.
Today, I am a doctor despite all the hardships I faced during my education. I challenged the impossible until I forced it to become possible.
Everything I once imagined—those medical procedures and more—I now perform skillfully in the emergency department.
The dream became reality, despite the pain. I am proud of myself, and my family is proud of me. I have become the person I always wanted to be.
And so, Ali still lives on. Though the episodes of the series have long ended, we Palestinians have continued his story. Now, instead of one doctor, there are thousands—each with the same purpose: to ease the suffering of our people and to serve our cause in any way we can.”
