By WAM
Abu Dhabi : Reminding the world community about the importance of differentiating between actions and reactions, the Dubai-based Gulf News wrote an editorial under the title: ‘Israeli actions will get a response’: ‘The killing of eight people in a Jewish religious school in West Jerusalem is deplorable and must be condemned. However, it does serve to remind us of the frustration and desperation Palestinians are experiencing. The attacker, a resident of East Jerusalem, according to Israeli police, was obviously driven to his actions by the way in which Israel has been and still is suppressing Palestinians in the Occupied Territories.
‘Israel has made regular incursions into Gaza, showering Palestinians with mortar fire and rockets. But for some months now, Palestinians – Gazans in particular – have been suffering from Israeli blockades. Not only have the residents of Gaza been unable to obtain enough for utility services, but basic commodities such as food are almost inaccessible to the public.
‘There is the additional problem that medicines and medical equipment are in short supply, thereby creating more hardships for the very young and the very old – let alone those injured by the constant Israeli bombardments.
‘Apparently Hamas, which has governed Gaza since last year when they were voted into power, has made an offer to cease fire against Israel. Although the primitive rockets aimed at Israel did little or no harm, they always provoked an unreasonable and aggressively assertive response from the Israelis. That and the deprivations Gazans are suffering may be what is behind the ceasefire offer which was transmitted through the Middle East peace envoy Tony Blair.
‘It remains to be seen whether Israel will accept the offer, but an Israeli spokesperson has already said the attack on their religious school will not halt the peace talks. Other than to wonder which peace talks they are referring to, it is also necessary to see what reprisal there will be over the attack on the school’.