The Jerusalem Post reports:
In the wake of Israel’s escalated response, Palestinians living in the northern Gaza Strip have appealed to the new Palestinian Authority government to take immediate action to prevent gunmen from firing Kassam rockets from their neighborhoods at Israel, a senior Hamas official said Tuesday.
He said the appeal was made in an urgent letter sent to PA Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh by scores of Palestinians living in Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoun and other areas that have been targeted by Israeli artillery over the past few weeks.
Besides the obvious point – that our responses to palestinian Kassam rocket fire are actually working – you should also take the following from the report:
1. Terrorists are firing rockets from populated neighborhoods. This is a cynical use of the civilian population, and the terrorists know that Israel is loathe to fire back and risk collateral damage. They also know that when Israel does hit back and inadvertently hurts or kills civilians, it faces the world’s wrath and condemnation. Hence it is a win-win situation for the terrorists. Sure, some of their own people have been killed, but remember the original point – they are firing rockets from populated neighborhoods. Do they really care for the welfare of these people?
Of course, had world leaders reacted properly – by unequivocally condemning the terrorists and their cynical use of the civilian population, without condemning Israel’s responses – then the terrorists may have stopped with this tactic a long time ago. Heck, they may have desisted from all forms of terrorism had it not paid off so well.
2. Only now are the civilians complaining. Terrorists have been firing from civilian neighborhoods for years, yet the civilians have not been calling for them to stop – at least not that I can recall. Only now that they are suffering some losses are they crying out.
If I saw a group of people firing rockets at palestinian neighborhoods, intent on killing innocent people, you can bet I would alert the authorities, and would not stand for it. Not because I would be afraid of a response, but because it is immoral.
Had the “majority” of palestinians (who I am constantly told do not support terror) pressured the terrorists to stop, they would have no choice but to stop. Not only have they not done this, but they elected terrorists to govern them.
Don’t get me wrong. I am genuinely saddened by the loss of palestinian life, and I do not believe that all palestinian civilians support terrorists. However, when they remain silent and allow themselves to be used as human shields, the blame for their deaths primarily lies at the feet of the terrorists – especially considering that Israel is doing what any democratic country could be expected to do when under attack.
