A Palestinian Loss?

Haven't heard much about terror attacks in Israel in the last few weeks?

Neither have I. (The attack on January 13th was the first since Christmas). And check this out:

Hamas said it sent a woman for the first time because of growing Israeli security "obstacles" facing its male bombers, Reuters reported. Hamas spiritual leader Sheik Ahmed Yassin said the use of a female bomber was unique, but added that holy war "is an obligation of all Muslims, men and women."

I don't want to jinx matters, but it appears - contrary to the claims of its critics - the wall is working:

With the thud of tons of concrete hitting soft earth, Israel worked yesterday to build a 25-foot-high wall on the edge of Jerusalem.

The wall, running down the center of a main road in the Palestinian neighborhood of Abu Dis, separates thousands of residents from Jerusalem, a city they consider home.

The towering new wall replaces a far shorter divider that had slowed, but not stopped, the flow of people and goods between the West Bank and Jerusalem in this area.

It is part of a barrier Israel is building around much of the West Bank with the stated aim of keeping out Palestinians responsible for suicide bombings that have killed hundreds of Israelis in the last three years.

Palestinian leaders have reacted with anger to the building of the barrier, a line of walls, trenches, fences and razor wire that snakes through parts of West Bank land that Palestinians claim for a future state.

Although Israel says the barrier can be moved if the sides negotiate a peace treaty, Israel's critics say it is in effect creating a new border that gobbles up almost half the West Bank and cuts it off from Jerusalem.

Along its path, the barrier has cut Palestinians off from their fields and schools, their hospitals and businesses.

Too bad.

The Palestinians are raging as much as ever, and Hamas and Hezbollah keep threatening. But fewer attacks are taking place.

The Palestinians tried to use terror to force Israel's hand, and the Israelis have responded in the only logical way they could. And it is working.

Arafat will soon lose this bargaining chip (terror attacks won't be reduced to zero but the reduction in frequency will make them irrelevant) and he will face his people. They'll ask how he managed to LOSE land to Israel.

Arafat better get a good answer.

Terror won't pay. (It didn't exactly pay off for Al Qaeda either).

Excellent.
- posted by total @ 1/13/2004 05:57:00 AM .