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Gulf News
  • 12/6/2024
Man from Gaza seeks a better life.
Transcript
00:00My name is Mohamed Abdelkarim Al-Qassas.
00:09I was born and raised in the Shaja'ia neighborhood in the 80s.
00:13I had wonderful memories in that neighborhood during my childhood and growing up, but I
00:18also have memories filled with pain because I was not able to live a dignified life.
00:25I don't have very clear recollections regarding my childhood because they are memories charged
00:31with anxiety and worry.
00:34As I grew older, my responsibilities increased because my father was among the wounded during
00:39the first intifada.
00:43There is no hope for the future.
00:45How can a child have hope when all he hears about and sees is deaths and attacks, or when
00:52you hear about the death or injury of a relative or neighbor?
01:00Due to social and economic circumstances, I was not able to join a university.
01:06Therefore, I resorted to scholarships from abroad.
01:14I received many of them, such as from Egypt, but more than that, it was a matter of achieving
01:19my dreams because the borders were often closed.
01:31I lost the first and second scholarships, but I strived towards more of them.
01:36When I was a kid, my dream was to become a pilot.
01:39Of course, that dream was destroyed due to circumstances in my surroundings.
01:43For every dream, there is a destroyer, the destroyer of my dreams and those of thousands
01:48of Palestinian children is the occupation.
01:59The UAE, particularly Dubai, played a key role in building my personality.
02:04I received a Dubai Police Academy scholarship through a grant by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed
02:08bin Rashid.
02:09I was very honored and proud of joining the academy.
02:13My journey out of Gaza via the crossing took me more than 45 days.
02:17I was just waiting.
02:25When I applied for any job, they said it would not work out because being Palestinian, I
02:30may face obstacles due to my specialization focusing on police work and law.
02:38I understood that and decided to seek a more realistic opportunity back home.
02:51When I returned after the 2008 war, people were still suffering as a result of that war.
03:00I arrived in Gaza at night.
03:02Gaza was covered in darkness.
03:05I missed my parents so much and I was very eager to see them after a very bloody and
03:09painful war.
03:13My misery was just beginning following my return.
03:16When morning came, I witnessed a true tragedy.
03:18I asked about some of my friends and learned that some were wounded and disabled.
03:24These are childhood friends and some of them I met in university.
03:29I was disheartened and decided to leave Gaza again, revisiting the pain of leaving my family
03:34and loved ones.
03:35But I had a dream that may grow by going abroad.
03:44So I made a decision.
03:45I have to make it to the UAE.
03:47I have to reach Dubai.
03:49Of course, I was in touch with friends that I got to know during my studies here so they
03:53can help me apply for job opportunities or a visa.
03:57They all told me that there are difficulties when it comes to issuing visas for Palestinians.
04:05I bought a ticket for a flight to Malaysia with an 11-hour transit in Dubai.
04:09This was an idea given to me by some friends who told me to get to the airport and somehow
04:14sort myself out.
04:17I came to Dubai on the basis of my good social relations with this country, years of social
04:23relations, friendliness and love.
04:26I stress that every single day.
04:30This country gave me the wonderful scholarship.
04:34I am honored that my certificate carries the signature of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed
04:37bin Rashid.
04:41My request is a job that ensures a dignified life.
04:45I want to feel like a human being, like all my achievements, which I feel were accomplishments,
04:51are not a part of the negativities I faced in life.
04:54My request for all in general, specifically the UAE and Dubai, the city for which I feel
04:59so much love and affection, is to grant me the birth certificate of a human.

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