Terrorism by bulldozers

I don't expect to stay up with the daily news on this blog. Still, yesterday someone drove a bulldozer in a crowd for the second time in the last month or so in Jerusalem.

For an interesting perspective on this sad new trend, and how it reflects a sad old trend, have a look at the personal and internal processing of the news by a peace volunteer on http://hoseyblog.blog.com/3371641/

For an older report of the devastation caused by a D9 bulldozer in Jenin in 2002, read the following (the number of victims was never stated - no investigation having been allowed):

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/apr/16/israel.readersyear

http://www.gush-shalom.org/archives/kurdi_eng.html

Am I making excuses for yesterday's tragedy? Not at all. (For a clear condemnation, see http://www.btselem.org/english/israeli_civilians/index.asp. Also see how a few days before soldiers tied a man to the ground and were filmed shooting him in the leg point blank-another form of terrorism. Read http://zope.gush-shalom.org/home/en/channels/press_releases/1216734331?ver=Tue%2C%2022%20Jul%202008%2016%3A45%3A34%20%2B0300).

Am I suggesting moral equivalence? Yes, and no. Yes terrorism by bulldozer is terrorism by bulldozer (always a new low to be found in this land). But I hold a nation-state represented in the forums of the international community to a higher standard than a radical extremist group, or even a "perpetrator acting on his own initiative" (http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1004509.html).

Yesterday, a human being was killed trying to kill other human beings. Why?

All those creating the conditions where this becomes expected are to be blamed and brought to reform.

All.

And urgently.

Elrig