Memories Of Israel

I’ve been watching with great interest the pictures coming out of Israel in the last hour. The bombing of Mike’s Place on the promenade really, really bothers me.

It bothers me not only for the usual reasons of needless human death, setback to the peace process, etc. It bothers me all the more because I have been there.

I have been to Israel. I have walked along that promenade. I have been in the buildings right around Mike’s. It is a series of pleasant memories. Now I look at the pictures on tv and see death and injury in those happy scenes.

There is a certain sense of loss that I feel. Kind of like that I felt while watching the Towers fall, although on a smaller scale. Another piece of my life, has been destroyed by uncaring, hateful thugs. Another happy memory has been forever marred and for what?

People died there tonight. People were forever scarred tonight. Why?

Is because some radical “kill the Jews” group decided to “protest” the confirmation of Abu Mazen? Is it to “protest” the Jewish settlements in the West Bank? Is it a “protest” against the peace process?

Or is it just another hateful act by an evil organization like Hamas or Hezbollah?

Does it really matter?

At least three people are dead. And the world has not changed. Israel still exists. America still stands proud. Abu Mazen is still the new Palestinian Prime Minister.

Only the lives of those killed or maimed have changed. Is that something to be proud of? The great martyrdom operation, well, it just wasn’t so great. It had no purpose.

Except to needlessly murder civilians.

I know that there is no real answer to this question, but why do some people feel a need to kill, maim, and destroy for no real purpose? The intifada has done nothing except to worsen the lives of the very people it was intended to help. It has allowed the opposing demagogues to portray all Palestinians as murderers and thugs. Is that the real goal of the bombers?

The terrorists should know that they are not creating terror among anyone save the most frightened among us. Their murderous activities are only serving to strengthen the resolve of the civilized world.

What have they achieved tonight? Death and injury. But that’s it. The world has not changed. They have not made any progress towards anything.

At least three dead. And all for nothing. What a shame.