Yasser’s Dream

Yasser’s Dream tells the true story of a Palestinian boy from Yazur who loved flowers, olive trees, butterflies and the laughter of other children. Like children everywhere, Yasser had a dream. He wanted to become a doctor, to heal the sick, help those in need, and bring hope to his village. But Yasser was growing up in occupied Palestine.

Before he was thirteen, soldiers came for him. He was arrested, beaten and taken away, leaving behind the fields where he had played and the dreams he had carried in his heart. In prison, the nights were long, the walls were cold, and a child's world became one of fear and loneliness.
And yet, they could not take everything from him.

In the darkness, Yasser held on to his faith. He whispered words of patience and gratitude, and in his dreams he returned to the freedom of his childhood—to the trees, the birds, his friends and the village he loved. His dream of freedom became an act of hope.

Yasser's story is one child's story, but it is also the story of countless Palestinian children whose childhoods have been interrupted by violence, imprisonment and displacement. The book reminds us that behind every statistic is a child who once laughed, played, dreamed and imagined a future.

Set against the memory of Yazur, a Palestinian village depopulated during the 1948 Nakba—the story also becomes a reflection on homeland, memory and the enduring Palestinian connection to the land.

Yasser’s Dream is ultimately a story of a childhood stolen, but not a spirit broken. It asks us to remember what every child deserves: safety, family, freedom and the chance to grow into the person they dreamed of becoming. And it leaves us with a quiet but powerful hope that one day, Palestinian children will no longer have to dream of freedom, because they will finally be free.

Please note that all proceeds from this book will go directly towards supporting the writer's medical studies.