Time To Let 'Em Go
I do not intend in anyway make light of the deadly seriousness of the Israeli/Palestinian situation and I am not a believer in the idea that both sides are conducting themselves in equally legitimate manners. Intentionally sending someone on to a bus with the idea of killing and maiming as many civilians as possible with an explosive hail of nails is not the same as accidentally killing innocent bystanders in a strike against leaders calling for and planning the destruction of your people.
But for the last few years the Israelis and Palestinian militants have been like a couple of hockey players throwing elbows, slashing, spearing, giving face washes, and even occasionally delivering a butt end (for you non-hockey folks out there that's when you choke down on your stick slightly, exposing the top end which you then jab into a vulnerable area of your opponent's body, often the head) to each other.
Whenever the tempers have flared out of control the referees (the U.N. and U.S.) have stepped in to break up the impending melee and momentarily halted the conflict. And in the past the U.S. has often acted like an inexperienced official and restrained one player (Israel) unfairly allowing the other to get in a free shot or two. The time has come for the refs to step back and let 'em go. The Israelis are clearly itching to throw down with Hamas:
The government-owned Israel Radio said the army had been ordered to "completely wipe out" the Hamas movement after the bus bombing in Jerusalem. The radio report said every Hamas militant was now considered a target, "from the lowliest member to Sheik Ahmed Yassin," the group's founder and spiritual guide.
Israel says it is moving against Hamas because the new Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, has proved unable or unwilling to rein in militants since he assumed office six weeks ago.
Of course the Palestinians have a slightly different view:
But Palestinians said the Israeli actions had badly undercut Mr. Abbas and had made it impossible for him to resume cease-fire talks with Palestinian militants. Mr. Abbas has so far ruled out using force against the militants.
Ziad Abu Amr, the Palestinian minister of culture, who was in charge of the cease-fire talks until they broke down, said that "I don't think at this time we can talk about a truce" with the Palestinian factions.
Who's undercutting who here? If the PA is going to continue to blame the Israelis and accuse them of undercutting Abbas without acknowledging that the Hamas bombings have undercut him just as badly if not worse, especially among the Palestinian people, there is little reason to hope that this most recent road map will lead anywhere.
The time has come for the referees to let the players settle matters among themselves.
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