"What makes this incident all the more horrible is its predictability. This, from the article "Torn to Shreds" in last week's Newsweek:
The history of earlier drives into Lebanon shows that even as the Israeli war machine gains momentum, so do the chances of terrible accidents and atrocities. In 1982, under the protection of Israeli forces, Christian Lebanese militias carried out the now infamous massacre of hundreds of Palestinians in Beirut's Sabra and Shatila refugee camps. Ten years ago, during a campaign against Hizbullah similar to the one now underway, Israeli gunners blasted a United Nations monitoring post at the South Lebanese town of Qana, where terrified locals had taken refuge. More than 100 civilians were killed in a barrage that lasted only a few ghastly seconds. International outrage quickly forced Israel to end its offensive.
The Israelis say they are being more careful this time around, not least because they don't want to be forced to stop. "The presidential approval by Bush, the surprising level of support he's giving Israel, the patience he's giving Israel—it looks as if there's a great amount of slack being cut to us," says a senior Israeli security source, who did not want to be identified by name because he is not authorized to speak on the record. "Absent a Qana, it might go on."
The Israelis say they are being more careful this time around, not least because they don't want to be forced to stop. "The presidential approval by Bush, the surprising level of support he's giving Israel, the patience he's giving Israel—it looks as if there's a great amount of slack being cut to us," says a senior Israeli security source, who did not want to be identified by name because he is not authorized to speak on the record. "Absent a Qana, it might go on."
The question now is whether this tragedy will be enough to prevent others."
In reply, I wrote this:
"Today is a day when we Arabs really should be spared the language and terminology of the American press. "Accidents" and "tragedy" are not the words. Not today, Mr. Dickey. Not any day, Mr. Dickey.
In reply, I wrote this:
"Today is a day when we Arabs really should be spared the language and terminology of the American press. "Accidents" and "tragedy" are not the words. Not today, Mr. Dickey. Not any day, Mr. Dickey.
As`ad"
