Suicide Bomber Kills 5, Injures 35
Despite the historically unprecedented gesture in which Israel gave land and resources to sworn enemies, and also to Israeli moves this weekend to weaken security restrictions and ease the life of the average Palestinian, a Palestinian suicide bomber linked to Islamic Jihad blew himself up outside a mall in Netanya, killing 5 Israelis and injuring 35, 14 critically. Guards had pulled him out of the security line outside of the mall, preventing a far larger tragedy.
CNN quotes Palestinian negotiater Saeb Erekat's concern that the outrage "harms Palestinian interests":
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat immediately condemned the attack on behalf of the Palestinian Authority. "I believe that this harms Palestinian interests and is another act to sabotage efforts to revive the peace process and to sabotage the Palestinian elections," Erekat said. A parliamentary is scheduled for January.
Perhaps it's time to consider that one of the gaps between Palestinian civil society and anything that could reasonably pass as sane and healthy is that in a sane and healthy world, Erekat would at least have pretended to regret the horrific loss of life. But to express any sympathy with innocent Israeli civilians might lose the Palestinian Authority what's left of its vaunted 'credibility on the Arab street', and so a suicide bombing in an Israeli mall somehow becomes an effort to "sabotage the Palestinian elections".
UPDATE: One of the murdered was among the security gaurds who pinned the bomber against a wall, having pulled him farther away from the crowd.
CNN quotes Palestinian negotiater Saeb Erekat's concern that the outrage "harms Palestinian interests":
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat immediately condemned the attack on behalf of the Palestinian Authority. "I believe that this harms Palestinian interests and is another act to sabotage efforts to revive the peace process and to sabotage the Palestinian elections," Erekat said. A parliamentary is scheduled for January.
Perhaps it's time to consider that one of the gaps between Palestinian civil society and anything that could reasonably pass as sane and healthy is that in a sane and healthy world, Erekat would at least have pretended to regret the horrific loss of life. But to express any sympathy with innocent Israeli civilians might lose the Palestinian Authority what's left of its vaunted 'credibility on the Arab street', and so a suicide bombing in an Israeli mall somehow becomes an effort to "sabotage the Palestinian elections".
UPDATE: One of the murdered was among the security gaurds who pinned the bomber against a wall, having pulled him farther away from the crowd.
