I just do not understand the Israeli government.
I have no sympathy with terrorists and suicide bombers, or anyone who kills innocent people.
But when helicopter-flying cowards kill off an old paralyzed man in a wheelchair, using shrapnel-filled grenades, it leaves them little honor. Israel's leaders should understand that this will only make hatred grow. I do not understand how this helps anything.
Sheik Yassin was undoubtedly a terrorist with much blood on his paralyzed hands. Still, even he deserved a trial and a defense. Every human being does. Murdering him and his aides takes his murderers, including Sharon, down to the same level.
I have a feeling, though, that mr. Sharon is not sensitive to such arguments about principles. His country refuses to do what the United Nations repeatedly has ruled. (Some countries get invaded by Bush for doing that.) He continues an illegal occupation, and continues to deny the millions of refugees his country drove off to return. He allows Israelis to steal land in the occupied areas and use most of the little water there is.
On his orders, his soldiers tear down the houses of innocent civilians, and shoot other civilians, including children as they do so. That is not terrorism, apparently, although I have a hard time seeing the difference.
"War on terror" is a stupid idea. Terror is a strategy. You cannot declare war on a strategy. You cannot win over a strategy, you can only make it a bad strategy.
For Israel, that requires two steps: Pull out of Gaza and the West bank and let the refugees return home.
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