Israeli attack on Palestine result of top priority: Safety of its people
Commentary by Kyle Anderson

The latest rash of suicide bombings in Israel has spurred the Israeli military into an all-out onslaught on the Palestinian government and people. Troops are searching door-to-door for Palestinian militants and caches of weapons. People are dying. An 11-year-old boy was killed while playing near the market in Rafah in the Gaza Strip. “Almost everyone we get is dead — not wounded, but shot dead on the spot,” said an emergency doctor.

Things are horrific over there, and they’re getting worse. Which leaves only one reasonable question: Is anyone really surprised?

Militant Palestinians and their suicide bombings have been breeding fear in Israel for months now. When people live in fear, they lash out. It’s not the best reaction. It may even be the worst reaction. But it’s the most common reaction, and the most instinctual.

Israel is sick of watching civilians die at the hands of wingnuts. While negotiations and cease-fires have never stopped being an option, Israel is sick of holding to each renewed cease-fire only long enough to watch another café or shopping mall blow up. Rash actions lead to more rash reactions — while it may not be the right reaction for the Israeli government to seek out Palestinian militants, it’s all that they have left.
By taking action, Israel has taken a stand against terrorism, right or wrong. Enough of their people have died. Much like the United States, Israel has decided to openly seek out those who plot against them.

ecause of the nature of the attacks on them, there is no way for Israel to fight a fair battle against the Palestinians. Continuous cheap shots have led to Israel taking a stand.

Innocent people will die — it’s a shame it seems like it has to be this way. It’s flawed logic to believe that people must die to end a conflict.

But enough innocents have been killed. Israel has made the decision to seek out those responsible for the terrorist attacks on its people. It sounds callous, but they’re taking care of their own first. They see no alternative to it — realistically, every chance of peaceful negotiation between Israel and Palestine has been destroyed by the attacks on Israel and Israel’s angry return attacks on Palestine.

Israel has broken a vicious cycle. Peace negotiation/cease-fire reached. Suicide bombing. Angry, violent Israeli reaction. Palestinian people crying out for the violence against their people.

So, this is what they’re left with. It’s a horrible decision to have to make — but to Israel, Israeli citizens come first.

Kyle Anderson is a columnist for the Massachusetts Daily Collegian at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. This column was distributed by U-Wire.

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