Monday February 28, 2005

I've Been Thinking:

Mixed messages are being sent out from the Palestinian Authority.
I find that very troubling.

In diplomatic and not-so-diplomatic exchanges revolving around Friday night's terror bombing, Israel and the US have pressured Palestinian leaders to catching the group that planned the attack and to prevent others attacks from happening.

Abbas, the president, condemned the terror in no uncertain terms.

But listen to what Abu Ala, the Palestinian prime minister, said yesterday:
"If Israel wants to halt contacts with the Palestinians, it is free to do so,"
"That's their affair. What do they expect from us in a case like this - that we shed tears?"

What a telling outburst.
The diplomatic answer would have been along the lines of "we shed tears for all the innocents people murdered in Tel Aviv" which was the cookie cutter response so often made by Arafat after attacks, followed by his "innocent Palestinians" disclaimer.

Cry? Of course not! But be sensitive, diplomatic and smart!