Dor Shachar was born Aiman Abu Suboh in the Gaza Strip. At the age of 12 he decided to escape. He converted to Judaism and still lives in Israel today. He wrote the book “From Khan Yunis to Mount Sinai” about his life, which was a bestseller in Israel. In it he warned of the Islamist danger from the Gaza Strip. The Hamas pogrom on October 7th still shocked him.
ntv.de: The massacre by the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas on October 7th was the worst pogrom against Jews since the Holocaust. Were you surprised?
Dor Shachar: No, not at all. As a child, I often experienced Hamas’ violence against its own people. They beheaded so-called enemy collaborators, cut off their limbs or dragged them by car through Khan Yunis until they died in agony. But they see killing Jews as a sacred mission.
Dor Shachar is now 46 years old and lives near Tel Aviv.
(Photo: private)
What do you mean?
For generations, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, as well as a large portion of the West Bank residents, have been brainwashed by Hamas that the greatest commandment is to kill Jews in order to get to paradise. They also get there if they are killed by “unbelievers” because then all their sins will be forgiven. The indoctrination begins in kindergarten, where I was taught that Jews had three feet.
And you believed that?
This criminal propaganda works like it did in Germany during the Nazi era. When I was three years old, even my grandfather – who was originally from Jaffa – told me that all Jews were murderers who had stolen the land of my ancestors. When I was old enough, I would have to fight them, kill them, and drive them away to take back everything that was stolen from us.
Is the Holocaust also covered in school?
No, because most Palestinians in the Gaza Strip deny this crime of the century. The few who truly believe that the Shoah happened wish the Jews would do it again.
You left your family and broke with Islamic culture. Why did you want to become Jewish and live in Israel?
As a child, I was raised to be fanatically anti-Semitistic at home and at school. My father threatened harsh punishment if I did not continue the Palestinian struggle. Something in my soul told me that I didn’t want to belong to this violent society. I ran away as a minor and lived and worked illegally in Israel for seven years. I was arrested and spent a few months in a prison where Arab terrorists were imprisoned, who saw me as a traitor and constantly beat me up. I was deported to Gaza and tortured by Hamas. I was able to escape again via Egypt and come to Israel via Turkey.
Where you were only allowed to convert to Judaism when you reached the age of 18. Who supported you in this?
I worked on a construction site and had an older supervisor who later adopted me. He and his wife helped me a lot. Among other things, they taught me to read and write in Hebrew. Through her I also learned to love instead of hating and to enjoy life. When I told them that I wanted to convert, they were shocked, but they supported me. It was a long process to get to a yeshiva [einer jüdischen Hochschule] could begin with my conversion to Judaism.
You now live near Tel Aviv and have been warning about the danger from the Gaza Strip for a long time. The Hamas pogrom and hostage-taking actually ended the fragile ceasefire. Did Hamas expect such a harsh response from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)?
Hamas has been preparing for this war for a long time with the help of Iran. However, they did not expect the IDF to invade with ground troops. But of course they know that Israel needs the support of the international community and must therefore comply with international law. Hamas doesn’t really care about controlling Gaza. Being able to maintain the fight against Israel is their real success.
Israel’s goal is to remove Hamas from power and free all hostages. Is this possible?
It can take a very long time to overthrow such a terrorist organization, and no one knows for sure whether all the hostages are still alive. This asymmetrical warfare is a difficult matter for a democratic constitutional state. A dictatorial regime would not only have razed Khan Yunis and Rafah to the ground, but would also have stopped all aid deliveries to Gaza in order to quickly bring Hamas to its knees. But Israel cannot do something like that.
Do you know how your relatives are doing in the Gaza Strip?
On October 7, we saw that after the Hamas attacks, many civilians joined the terrorists, entered Israel and committed numerous crimes against the Israeli population. When the hostages in Gaza were presented like trophies, people cheered and spat on them.
Almost two million Palestinians live in the Gaza Strip. Is everyone really a supporter of Hamas?
Of course not. But similar to Nazi Germany, the people there have been indoctrinated with fanatical hatred of Jews for years. They see Israel as an enemy. In order to free such a society from this poisonous propaganda, a mixture of peace policy and prosperity is needed. But that is a long process.
Is there no rebellion against the Hamas dictatorship?
As in all dictatorships, the population is intimidated and afraid. But the truth is also that when suffering happens to the Jews, the people there rejoice and give out sweets. This is not something Hamas orders.
How long do you think this war will last?
I guess not too much longer. Israel’s hands are tied. The pressure from the international community is increasing. This means that Hamas will reorganize again and, as in recent years, continue the war against the Jewish state. If you look at their development, they may plan something similar to October 7th for the next conflict, only it may take place in Tel Aviv or another major city.
So Israel will not achieve its goals?
Perhaps the hostages still alive will return after another prisoner exchange. But the country will remain traumatized for decades and unfortunately the next war will not be long in coming.
And the Gaza Strip?
Israel will have no other option than to occupy the Gaza Strip for a few years, “cleanse” the coastal strip of Hamas, and at the same time build a new society with the help of the international community and a new moderate local leadership – but not with the corrupt Palestinian Authority . However, I doubt that this will work.
You don’t believe in a peaceful solution to the Middle East conflict?
Unfortunately, no. Because this conflict is no longer just about the Holy Land. It is a religious war against the Jewish and Christian “infidels” worldwide. After October 7th, Western countries should be warned.
Tal Leder spoke to Dor Shachar