Friday December 16, 2005

I've Been Thinking:

Today is the deadline for submitting lists for the Palestinian Parliament election.
A new party has been named and added.
I was not surprised to see that the name given the party is: "Abu Abbas."

Abu Abbas is not Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority.
Do not make the mistake of confusing the two.
Abu Abbas is dead, killed in Iraq, in the spring, just ahead of the invasion of Iraq.

Abu Abbas was a famous terrorist.
Abu Abbas was the person behind the terror attack aboard the cruise ship Achille Lauro. During that attack Leon Klinghoffer, an elderly Jewish American confined to a wheelchair was murdered and pushed off the overboard.

Why would anyone name a party after a known terrorist?
Because these Palestinians want to perpetuate his values and principles. Because these Palestinians want his legacy of terror to live on.
Because these Palestinians see the acts of Abu Abbas as heroic and brave.

Someone has to tell these Palestinians that all ideas are not equal in democracy. In Germany racists parties are outlawed. The same is true for Israel.
The same should also hold true for the Palestinians.

I have an idea. Someone should endorse a Party of Peace.