And then what?

Submitted by Ethan Corey (United States), Aug 7, 2002 at 12:02

Let's suppose that Dr. Pipes is right, that terrorism is not working. Let's suppose that it takes a toll on the Palestinians without having the intended effect on Israel. Let's suppose that barring a major change, the Palestinians will indeed wear themselves out fairly soon, probably by the year's end (as an aside, the media mindlessly parrots the idea that Israeli counter-terrorist measures only create more homicide bombers and what is needed is for Israel to back off. Their evidence? That a Palestinian that they interviewed said that Israel's retaliation will only create more homicide bombers. As I was fond of saying in 5th grade, saying it's so doesn't make it so. The evidence that is ignored? That terrorism attacks skyrocketed in the aftermath of Oslo, and the current episode of terror-Islam occurred in the wake of Camp David).

We're still left with a Palestinian population that is deeply disturbed, that is an unreliable peace partner. As Michael Oren pointed out in yesterday's Wall Street Journal, the fact that 10,000 Palestinians in Gaza celebrated the Hebrew University bombing is evidence of a society that is fundamentally flawed. It is difficult to imagine any form of serious co-existence with a society that glorifies and celebrates the murder of human beings of a different ethnicity. Israel may yet see the end of homicide bombings, perhaps as early as the end of the year. However, it is left with the dysfunctional family next door.

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