Palestine: Murder or terror rampage?

Only Arabs are terrorists… reads the subject heading on live from occupied palestine‘s blog. The blogger is referring to the headlines splashed across Israeli and foreign newspapers after Husam Taysir Dwayat, a Palestinian living in Jerusalem, drove a bulldozer down a crowded street in West Jerusalem, killing three and wounding at least 66 others. Dwayat's spree ended when an off-duty Israeli soldier shot and killed him.

The headlines following Dwayat's rampage included “Bulldozer terror rampage in Jerusalem“. They also focused on Dwayat's prior relationship with a Jewish woman with headlines such as “Jerusalem attacker once had Jewish girlfriend“. Some articles even claimed that Dwayat yelled “God is Great!”

live from occupied palestine expounds on the question of why Dwayat is being labeled a terrorist:

So if Dwayat’s murderous act was not politically motivated, if he was not acting as part of a “sub national groups or clandestine agents”, why is he being labeled by the Israeli media, politicians and other state officials “a terrorist”? Why if he acted alone, in what Israeli security forces and police believe to be an unpremeditated act, is Dwayat being marked as a terrorist?

The answer is, of course, simple. Dwayat was a Palestinian Arab, so quid pro quo, he must be a terrorist. This fact and this fact alone is the reason for him being labeled a terrorist.

DesertPeace is also all to aware of the headlines, and remarks upon those drawing attention to Dwayat's relationship with a Jewish woman:

Truly an earth shattering revelation…. Used to be “All the news that fits, we print”…. Now it’s “All the news that sells, we print”.

Well, I for one ain’t buying!

Will of KABOBfest shares another perspective; the symbolism of the bulldozer in Israel and Palestine:

By killing three Israeli civilians, these acts of murder represent an ironic tragedy. While the shedding of no civilian blood is ever justified, how we talk about such acts is important. Rather than framing it as an isolated incident or as one more heedless Palestinian attack, we should really examine why construction equipment has become a tool of death and destruction in Israel-Palestine. For Palestinian, the bulldozer is a symbol of Israeli aggression. One assault with a bulldozer by a Palestinian does not change that. It only reminds us of the urgent need for a just peace.

Rima Abdelkader, in her Arabisto.com blog, helps readers understand the incident by explaining:

Another important fact left out in Wednesday’s coverage is that bulldozers, specifically Caterpillar, are in some cases used to demolish Palestinian homes. One even killed American peace activist Rachel Corrie in March 2003 who risked her life to protest against the demolitions. This bit of information is significant in discussing Wednesday’s turn of events since the attacker used a Caterpillar bulldozer to kill innocent civilians.

35 comments

  • Ricardo Omena

    When you a member of a people and culture that indoctrinate their children and people in a culture of death, that celebrates mass murderers and are committed to the genocidal extermination of a people, to complain about “gradations” or “semantics” seems a bit silly.

    Maybe if Muslims and Arabs didn’t commit 98%$ of the terror in the world, stopped celebrating mass murderers people would not ascribe “terror” to their homicidal rampages.

  • Soufiene

    “Maybe if Muslims and Arabs didn?t commit 98%$ of the terror in the world … ”

    Who largued 2 nuclear bombs in 3 days on a country?

    Who killed 2 millions people in vietnam?

    Who invaded lately a sovreign country and killed hundreds of thousands, tortured, abused, and raped a countless number of it’s men, women and children, divided and caused a total fiasco for a whole nation?

    Who is colonizing in blood other’s land since 60 years and still aiming to continue with the same attitude?

    Are they Muslims and Arabs ?

  • Interesting perspective. Thanks Jillian for sharing!
    Israeli media concentrated on presenting stories of those who survivors and the dead. On the one hand I realize that Israeli media is extremely biased, but with comments from Hamas and the Islamic Jihad being ‘content with the attack’ even if they did not take responsibility for it, its difficult to make a judgment. It doesn’t help that a fairly new organization named ‘Galilee freedom brigades’ took responsibility for this event (in addition to the events in Yeshivat Merkaz Harav). With so many groups and organizations its hard to figure out who is acting on their own, or on behalf many others.

    In my opinion, a person who takes to the streets and starts killing innocent civilians is a terrorist. period. Doesn’t matter if they are Palestinian or Israeli, or even if they are mentally disabled, they are committing an act of terror!

    I’d really like to see the media focus on questions like ‘Who’ and ‘Why’ – who these people are, where they come from, how they were raised and what their incentives are. The answer to these questions is key to make an attempt at healing this bruised land. In this case – what were this terrorist’s incentives? Whats the story with his ex-wife (who was Israeli) and how/if that is linked to this event?

  • Ricardo Omena

    I see-so because 60 years ago the U.S used 2 nuclear bombs against Japan, thus saving likely hundreds of thousands of U.S lives and quite possibly millions of Japanese to win a war against an aggressor-the Jihadists of today who wage war against everyone-Muslims, Christians and Jews and indoctrinate their people in a culture of death and violence (please make me a list other then terror-that Palestinians have contributed to mankind) should be absolved of blame for their daily homicidal rampages?

    Hmmm..Questionable logic there Sir.

    As to “bulldozers being used to demolish homes”-“homes” are frequently 1) illegal 2) terrorist outposts. As far as poor, stupid, imbecilic Rachel Corrie-she violated the instructions of the lunatic group she was representing and literally tried to tackle a bulldozer.

    It is remarkable that so many can excuse the launching of thousands of missles at Jewish civilian populations and more importantly the exploitation of the ordinary Palestinian people by their corrupt, thugocracy known as Hamas.

    Do you ever wonder how a people that receive more aid per person than anyone on Earth are so dirt poor? Ever wonder how Arafat died a billonaire?

    Maybe it is time to stop apologizing and hold murderers, homicidal fanatics and their genocidal ambitions accountable for their inhumane conduct?

  • Soufiene

    ” … other then terror-that Palestinians have contributed to mankind …”

    And what Israelis did for mankind !? Except receiving weapons and killing, jailing and torturing people since 60 years. Palestinians are fighting against the Israeli occupation. We never heard about a Palestinian attacking other countries and other people. And those who accept to live in a raped land, have to assume the consequences. I am not doing the apology for anyone, but this is the truth. Give back people their land, and their internal affairs are not you’re business! Ok Yasser Arafat was a thief. However, that would neither justify nor excuse the Israeli’s behaviour.

    Really amazing, you justify a nuclear attack against civilians in their home land. And in the other hand, you can’t stand a rocket attack on people occupying other’s land and whos army is bombing civilians everyday. This is prodigious from an Israeli apologist !?

  • …”I see-so because 60 years ago the U.S used 2 nuclear bombs against Japan, thus saving likely hundreds of thousands of U.S lives”..

    Give ma a break !.

    That was the most disgusting outrageous point of view…
    Killing civilians were never a solution…and don’t ever think that Japanese civilians wasted for peace…it’s a terrorism and still terrorism and will be for ever a terrorism of U.S.A .

  • Most likely, the driver of the bulldozer was fed-up with the abuse he and his family have suffered at the hands of the occupation. He went crazy, and you would too.

    http://palestinereview.com

  • Isranony

    -And what Israelis did for mankind !?

    Hmm… This is not the brightest question… Technologically speaking, the country has done a lot for mankind. Mobile phone technology, microprocessors for the very PCs you are using, medical advancements such as a camera that you can swallow so doctors can check everything is ok in your insides, as well as multiple Nobel prize winners in various disciplines. Furthermore, the agricultural techniques/technology that were developed and pioneered by Israelis to grow produce in arid environments were later given in peace deals with Jordan and Egypt. So, Arabs are benefiting from Israeli innovation too.

    -We never heard about a Palestinian attacking other countries and other people.

    Let’s talk about Jordan… late 60’s early 70s… You know… that period where the Palestinians tried to overthrow the Jordanian monarchy by shooting at Jordanians, attempting to assassinate the then King Hussein.. Just a tiny detail of course.. Don’t mind that they were also hijacking planes with people from various nationalities then as a way to get PR. Of course, folks like to then turn a blind eye the the heavy slaughter that ensued afterwards with Black September by the Jordanians against the Palestinians.

    Continuing around this same time period, there was that plane that was hijacked to Uganda… They took hostage not only Israelis, but Jews of other nationalities…

    More recent events have included the muted reporting by the international media of the fighting between Palestinian militants and Lebanese forces in Lebanon.

    I dislike rabid hate-filled individuals who feel they are justified in ignoring historical facts. The situation on the ground is neither black or white, but containing many shades of grey with all players not coming out with clean hands or halo’s on their heads.

  • Soufiene

    ” Mobile phone technology, microprocessors for the very PCs you are using, medical advancements such as a … ”

    Israeli’s are working with the American companies such Motorola, Intel and onther’s. What you are talking about belongs to Americans and Europeeans companies not to Israel.

    I doubt that the Jordan King interests you really. This guy is ruling a Palestinian land himself. He always backed Israel, and in 67 he played his double game with them, that’s why the PLO attacked him, and Israel helped him. About Kidnapping and Hijaking, Israeli Mossad did the same thing and still doing, in other countries. How many times Israel bombed for spite other countries, and other’s interests, for instance Lebanon Airport in 1969 and also Tunisia in October 1985. What about the total destruction that Israel caused to Lebanon in 1982, and also lately in 1996 and 2006 ?! Why did they bomb the power central, oil and cereal provisions, the touristic aeras in Beirut, … ?

    About historical facts, you should learn more before giving lecons.

  • Tal

    Dear Soufiene,
    Since the end of the first intifada, most Israelis wanted to give the Palestinians Judie Sumeria and Gaza. Oslo agreement was just about that. But when Israel signed those peace agreements with the Palestinians, and the PLO leaders came to Israel, the terror attacks become worser. in 94′ and 95′ buses full of citizens started to blow in Tel-aviv and Jerusalem streets.

    Today most Israelis has lost their confidence in the Palestinians wish for peace. they realized that the Fatach and the HAMAS may talk about peace but their real will is to bring the full destruction of Israel.

    You may ask, how these poor people can ruin such a great state of Israel which is supported by the US. Palestinians leaders says that Israel will collapse by internal corruption and by Israelis losing their adhesion to the land. This they hope to bring by the constant terror attacks on the Israelis. They believe that a Jewish Democratic state is a fable entity that will not last for long. I think they are wrong, but they do think that it is destructible and therefore use terror and propaganda to destroy it.

    Israel caused much suffer to the Palestinians since 1948, but a peace agreement that the majority of Israelis backed, was sabotaged by the Palestinians leaders real wish to destruct Israel. Since Oslo agreement the harsh measures against Palestinians Increased because she found out that her hand which was reached for peace and a settlement was returned with terror and stubborn will to destroy her and to bring to her ruin.

    You cna not judge only Israel without paing attention to the acts and brutalty of the palestinans the selves.

    Pash Glubb, a British officer that was the Arab legion commander, how fought against Israel in 1948 said that fairnessly, we have to blame both sides for this conflict. the Arabs for their total wish to destroy Israel and Israel for being able to drive Palestinians out of their land by diplomatic measures. Today, Israel had tried to go for a settlement, but the Palestinians still want to destroy Israel

    For their suffer, the Palestinians have to blame their leaders first.

Cancel this reply

Join the conversation -> Gilad Lotan

Authors, please log in »

Guidelines

  • All comments are reviewed by a moderator. Do not submit your comment more than once or it may be identified as spam.
  • Please treat others with respect. Comments containing hate speech, obscenity, and personal attacks will not be approved.