The extraordinary true story of a boy who fought to escape from a Palestinian refugee camp.
Violence.
Despair.
Hope.
Determination.
In 1948, a whole population of people had their entire lives taken from them at gunpoint.
United Nations Resolution 181 had formed an official Jewish State, but in its wake violently displaced Palestinian families who lived in the land now claimed by Israel for generations.
Deep from the despair of losing his home and forced to live in a refugee camp in the ghetto of Nablus, at eight-years-old, my father, Abed (Abe) Abdulhadi refused to accept his circumstances. He aspired to a better life.
The odds were slim, but he had hope, a vision, and a plan to flee from a life drawn in the quickly aging face of his father. It would take him eight years to bring his dream to reality.
My father has been an inspiration to me. His story has always reminded me of my many blessings and my responsibilities. He has taught me to fight, to believe, and to force my dreams into reality. The Road to Nablus—his story—is dedicated to every man, woman, or child who has suffered and lost all hope.
-Bassam Hadi
Reader Reviews
“This story is an epic journey tracing the path of one small boy who never settled for the life that he was thrust into. […]
Hadi’s writing is poignant, especially showing the monotony and humiliations of daily life in a refugee camp. He also gives a comprehensive history of Palestine in 1948, helping to put the story into context and shed light onto a time not covered often in the history books.”
“More than one man’s rags-to-riches story, Road to Nablus traces the gut-wrenching path of a displaced Palestinian boy who overcomes tremendous adversity to reach his remarkable dreams. This book is a must-read for all who seek a deeper understanding of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, even as it inspires and gives hope to the reader and to oppressed people everywhere. You won’t want put it down.”
“Truly extraordinary people are rare, but that is exactly who Abed Abdulhadi is. In The Road to Nablus, Abed’s son, Dr. Bassam Hadi, details the incredible true story of a boy and his family who narrowly escape death only to suffer years of poverty in a refugee camp. While his father wants him to get to work to earn money for the family, Abdulhadi knows his best shot at getting out is through education. The reader gets the sense that at any moment, any small change in the family circumstances could bring utter ruin and disaster…”
55% of
the land.
This is what the United Nations agreed upon when thy passed Resolution 181 in November of 1947 and established the Jewish State.
By March of 1948, “Plan D” was enacted. Entire towns were cleared out for “Jewish Land.” Hundreds of thousands of Arabs where displaced from their homes. Before the end of 1948, fighting would break out many times amongst Arab and Israeli forces. Armistices would be enacted—and broken. By October of 1948 77% of the land would be occupied by Israel forces.
Download three full chapters from The Road to Nablus!
About the Author:
Bassam Hadi, M.D.
Son of Abed Abdulhadi (*link to page about Abe*), protagonist of The Road to Nablus. Basssam Hadi was born on October 28, 1967, in Beirut, Lebanon.
Growing up in Illinois. He went on to graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a degree in physics engineering and a minor in mathematics. He graduated from St. Louis University School of Medicine in 1994 and completed his residency in neurological surgery at the University of Louisville in 2000. He then completed a spine surgery fellowship at the University of Alabama-Birmingham in 2001.
Today, Dr. Hadi is the proud father of six beautiful children and works as a neurosurgeon at Mercy South Hospital in St Louis, Missouri also serving as Department Chair of Surgery for Mercy Clinic South.
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