Engineer on the Road (Book)

The Engineer on the Road is an autobiographical work written by Abdullah Galip Bergusi, a Palestinian engineer, writer, and member of the Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades. The book recounts, from the author’s own perspective, his childhood, education, political awakening, and involvement in the Palestine resistance. Bergusi, who has been sentenced by Israel to 67 life terms and 5,200 years in prison, wrote this book while imprisoned in a single-cell cell in an Israeli prison.

^{Yoldaki Mühendis Kitabının Yazarı Abdullah Galip Bergusi (}İlke Haber Ajansı⁾

Abdullah Galip Bergusi was born in Kuwait in 1972. His family, originally Palestinian, was displaced from their homeland due to the Israeli occupation and lived in exile for many years. During his youth, Bergusi traveled to South Korea where he received an engineering education and specialized in electronics and computer technology. This technical expertise later played a significant role in his activities within the Palestinian resistance.

The book begins with Bergusi’s childhood memories, his relationships with his family, and his educational journey. However, its central focus is on his resistance activities after returning to Palestine. He applied the technical knowledge and skills acquired as an engineer to support the Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas. Specializing in electronic systems and explosive devices, he became effective in attacks targeting Israeli installations. In 2003, he was arrested by Israeli security forces while in Ramallah with his daughter. His trial was conducted in a manner controversial under international law; despite the absence of any evidence proving he directly caused harm to civilian lives, he was sentenced to 67 life terms and thousands of years in prison.

• Abdullah Galip Bergusi: The main character and author. He is one of the symbolic figures of the resistance movement, portrayed as an educated, conscious, and ideologically resolute individual.
• Tala: Bergusi’s young daughter. Her presence during his arrest served as the most profound spiritual influence on the writing of the book.
• Family Members and Companions: Other figures mentioned in the book represent the internal dimensions of the resistance, its human costs, and the solidarity among its participants.

• Occupation and Resistance: The book presents the Palestinian people’s struggle against the Israeli occupation through a personal lens.
• Justice and International Law: Bergusi’s trial is examined in the context of Israel’s violations of human rights.
• The Relationship Between Technology and Resistance: It is one of the rare examples illustrating how an engineer’s technical knowledge is applied in armed struggle.
• Faith, Family, and Patience: The book explores powerful themes of how spiritual resilience is maintained under extreme conditions.

The book was written by Bergusi while imprisoned in an Israeli prison under solitary confinement. Translated into Turkish and published by Ekin Yayınları, it has generated widespread反响 in Türkiye and the Islamic world. The work is regarded both as a personal account of resistance and as a historical testimony.

The Engineer on the Road is not only an autobiographical narrative but also regarded as a text that examines the ethical and philosophical dimensions of political resistance. The work explores how individual experiences acquire meaning within the context of collective struggle and offers examples of alternative forms of resistance shaped by education, awareness, and determination. It has been observed that the book has attracted particular attention among younger generations and has become a subject of discussion in various contexts.