1-Jun-06: Truth in Advertising

Reuters circulated this photo of a home-made Islamic Jihad terrorist today

The news agency of the government of Kuwait publishes a press release today, issued by "Al-Quds brigades", the self-described "military wing" of Islamic Jihad. The release announces the shelling of "Nahel Ouz", described as a "settlement in eastern Gaza". It goes on: "Al-Quds brigades said the shelling took place dawn on Thursday in retaliation to the Israeli crimes committed against Palestinians." 

Now let us tell you from experience how very few journalists or analysts are going to have the background knowledge, sense or interest to figure what was said here. 

Nahal Oz is a small kibbutz located in Israel, established in 1951 north of the border with the Egyptian-occupied Gaza Strip. Its location was never occupied or disputed, other than in the mind of the Jihadist release author and his Kuwaiti publicist. 

Islamic Jihad exists to wage terrorist war on Israeli civilian society wherever it finds us, and has no need for a military wing; it's entirely military, a full-featured terrorist organization. 

And for journalists and analysts enamoured of the "cycle of violence" approach to the middle east conflict, the "retaliation" line is the most interesting part. 

When terrorists fire live explosives at towns and homes, you are faced with two choices. You can call it what it plainly is: terrorism, barbarism, murder. Or you can adopt the rhetoric of the thugs and call it 'retaliation'. But then you're stuck with trying to make sense of retaliation for what? 

And when you read the words of the thugs themselves, claiming to retaliate for "Israeli crimes committed against Palestinians" then you know this is nothing to do with retaliation, everything to do with the urge to destroy a hated enemy. 

Can anyone see painful compromise in the interests of peace coming from these people or their media mouth-pieces?