Israel has assassinated Abdel Aziz Rantisi, co-founder of the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas. Good riddance. Documentation here from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs on his close involvement in the Palestinian terrorist campaign against Israel (see II - "Rantisi - A History of Terrorism").

The strike came only hours after a Palestinian suicide bomber killed one Israeli soldier and injured several others.

With the Rantisi hit, and the Israeli assasination of Hamas' "spiritual leader" Sheik Yassin, it's increasingly clear Israel's own war on terror will not abate. Perhaps the Palestinians will get it through their thick heads they can never win their anti-Israeli jihad. Certainly, after Yassin's killing last month, some savvy Palestinians observed that elevating the even-more-hardline Rantisi to Hamas' leadership was dumb, and would only elevate hostilities further.

Guess they were right.

While we're at it, maybe Palestinian "leaders" - should re-consider their knee-jerk rejection of the latest plan put forward by Israeli prime Minister Ariel Sharon, and backed by U.S. President George W. Bush. They may get no better offer in the future. Israel comes from an ever-greater position of strength.

Seventy-two virgins in paradise isn't payback enough; all the would-be Palestinian suicide bombers now NOT stepping forward must still want the promise of $25,000 to their families from Saddam Hussein, only Saddam's checkbook is, uh, closed. And even if they were doing their usual schtik, where would it get their brethren?

"World opinion" against the Israelis is fatuous dribble. The Israeli-Palestinian dispute will not be decided in any way by the chattering classes or the assorted stuffed shirts strutting around European capitals. The sooner the Palestinians fully disavow jihad, the sooner there can be a binding agreement.

Posted by Matt Rosenberg at April 17, 2004 12:11 PM

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