Blood brings more blood [Archives:2004/723/Viewpoint]
It is pathetic that some individuals and governments still believe that by killing they can achieve their security and peace. What Israel did last Monday in assassinating a respected and prominent Islamic Sheikh -may God bless his soul- Ahmed Yassin, opened a Pandora's Box that would result in greater suffering for the Israeli people. Such a cruel act, which was condemned worldwide by international leaders and organizations, will only result in a sequence of unpredictable attacks and violence that would consequently result in more sufferings for Israelis than every before.
This doesn't only add to the revenge demands of Palestinians, but also contributes in enflaming the already great hatred of Israel felt by Arabs, Muslims, and people of most of the developing world.
Sharon has again committed a terrible mistake that would probably put an end to a handicapped peace process desperate for a fresh breath. He has demolished months and years of efforts to bring about a peaceful resolution to a chronic conflict that affects all parts of the world.
Yet what is even more disappointing is the USA's response to the attack. The US administration has clearly supported the action after a bit of hesitation at the beginning by uttering the words of 'self-defense'. It is truly pathetic to see how the USA shows a disregard of the worldwide opinion that targeted killings are wrong, and supports the extreme actions taken by a radical rightwing government that has nothing but force and destruction. This represents a setback to the efforts the USA has made to guarantee that it gathers international opinion under its umbrella. It also is a setback for the Bush administration which has been tested over and over again, but has failed the test when it came to Israel versus the world.
The future of the region now is at stake, as is the gap between Israel and the world. Israel believes that assassinating a paralyzed elderly Sheikh in a wheelchair after doing his prayers is a marvelous achievement that needed the congratulatory messages from the Israeli Prime Minister. This is outrageous in all aspects, yet it is still viewed as self-defense in the eyes of the US administration.
Let us all brace for days of deadly violence and bloody atrocities that will only be stopped by abandoning violence and returning to real solid and concrete steps that will provide justice for all.
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