The two faces of terrorism

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- Terrorism has two faces and both are equally evil.

In the Middle East, where a new wave of violence has claimed more innocent lives this past weekend, both sides - the militant Islamists and the hawkish Israelis - refuse to see that they are playing the role of both the accuser and the accused.

In the final analysis, neither role stands to benefit either side.

On the one hand, the Palestinians, who have accused Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of war crimes for his inactions when Christian Lebanese militiamen massacred several hundred refugees in the Chatila and Sabra camps on the outskirts of Beirut in 1982, cannot claim innocence when their bombs continue to kill civilians in the streets of Jerusalem and Haifa.

"Fifteen women, old men, citizens are dead in my city today," said Amatzia Baram, chair of Arab studies at Haifa University, "and the Palestinians are celebrating, though Arafat is denouncing these acts."

Baram, who is also head of the Jewish-Arab Center at Haifa University, said he spends most of his time bridging gaps between the two communities in Israel.

"I supported openly and very vociferously Barak's adoption of the Clinton Plan in Dec. 2000. Ninety-eight percent of the (Palestinian) Territories (would be returned) to the PA, including the Arab parts of Jerusalem, and we were answered by violence, intentionally murdering civilians, like in Sabra and Chatila! Today, last night, not twenty years ago," said Baram to UPI.

Indeed, these deadly actions only help weaken the Palestinian cause and lessen international support, which they badly need, especially at this time, when the eyes of the world are focused on fighting terrorism. Actions such as those carried out by Hamas on the streets of Haifa will not help the Palestinians win any sympathy or support. In the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks in New York and Washington, Americans have learned to relate directly to terrorism. In the past, suicide bomb attacks, as the one carried out in Haifa Sunday night, was something most Americans read of in newspapers, or watched on television. That is no longer the case.

Israelis, such as former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, wasted no time Monday in comparing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to Osama bin Laden, the leader of the Al-Qaeda terrorist network, whom the United States is currently tracking down in Afghanistan. And in a televised press conference, Prime Minister Sharon said, "Arafat is responsible for everything that is happening."

The weekend attacks occurred while Sharon was in Washington, where he had the opportunity to voice his concern to President Bush before rushing back to deal with the situation.

Still reeling from the Sept. 11 effects, the U.S. is more than likely to allow Sharon to wage an all-out campaign to eradicate terrorism in the

Palestinian controlled areas.

"Now is time for war, peace may come later," said Sharon during a news conference, Monday.

On the other hand, Israelis, who accuse the Palestinians of acts of terrorism, cannot continue to treat residents of the Palestinian occupied territories as second-class citizens, occupying land, encircling entire villages, and holding large segments of the Palestinian population under siege - both economically and physically. "We are held in captivity," said

Palestinian legislator Hanan Ashrawi to CNN.

The Israelis refuse to understand that their actions against the civilian Palestinian population only helps breed hatred, and encourages terrorism by Palestinian extremists.

"Israel's behavior in the territories is nothing short of apartheid," confided an Arab diplomat in Washington.

The Palestinians, indeed most Arabs - including many moderate ones--are becoming increasingly frustrated with Israel's mistreatment of the

Palestinians. Many see little chance of peace with the hawkish Ariel Sharon as prime minister of Israel. Others see no difference.

"Actually, I prefer Sharon," said one Arab diplomat, "at least with him in charge, the true face of Israel is emerging."

In a demonic version of what came first, 'the chicken or the egg?' the Middle East is once again caught in a new infernal cycle of hate and violence that is becoming increasingly hard to break.

One act of violence is prompting a knee-jerk reaction by the other side for even more violence with little regard to long-term implications. And the losers in the end are the people on both sides of the political and cultural divide.

But besides the human casualties caught in the hot shrapnel of the weekend's bombs and Monday's Israeli retaliatory raids on Gaza and the West Bank, there was another casualty - the latest U.S. peace initiative.

The weekend' bombs in Israel were also aimed at undermining peace efforts of Secretary of State Colin Powell's envoy, retired U.S. Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni, whose initiative to cement a ceasefire in the Middle East remains highly uncertain. The only certainty at this point is that the Middle East is headed for more violence.