Posted on 06/26/2002 4:07:30 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
No alternative for suicide bombing, Palestinians say Al-Khalil, June 23, IRNA -- Palestinian intellectuals representing the nationalist and Islamist camps have criticized a widely-publicized petition by leftist and secular figures demanding an end to suicide bombing against Israeli occupation targets.
In telephone interviews conducted this week with more than a hundred intellectuals, nearly all of the figures interviewed supported martyrdom operations against Zionist targets.
In the West Bank, the vast bulk of Fatah leaders argued that it would be ''hypocritical, duplicitous and biased'' to ask Palestinian freedom fighters to put an end to attacks against Israeli targets when Israeli troops and Jewish terrorists continued to kill, maim and terrorize Palestinian civilians.
''We are against the killing of civilians, particularly children and women. However, we can never accept the undeclared Israeli position that Jewish blood is sacred and Palestinian blood is cheap,'' said Abu Ra'afat, a prominent Fatah leader in Ramallah.
Abu Ra'afat, who asked that his real name not be mentioned for fear of Israeli reprisal, said all Palestinian resistance groups would immediately cease all attacks on Israeli civilians if the Israeli army reciprocates by terminating attacks on Palestinian civilians.
He described as ''cheap lies'' Israeli army claims that it didn't target Palestinian civilians.
''Well actions speak louder than words, everyday innocent Palestinians, including children, are killed by the Israeli army. We are not speaking about some mistake, this is a deliberate policy of killing innocent people,'' he said.
Hamas spokesman in Gaza Abdul Aziz al Rantisi also criticized the leftist petitioners.
''They are asking the victims to stop the resistance, while making no demands on the aggressor to end his aggression and oppression.''
Rantisi said Palestinian fighters would put an end to attacks on Israeli civilians if Israel ended attacks on Palestinian civilians.
This week, scores of Palestinian leftist and secular figures signed a petition calling on Palestinian resistance groups to put an end to martyrdom operations, arguing that they do more harm than good to the Palestinian cause and give the Zionist regime pretext to further torment the Palestinian people.
The petition, published in the local Palestinian newspapers, was apparently sponsored by the EU.
On Sunday, an opinion survey sponsored by a PA-affiliated pollster showed that up to 70% of Palestinians supported martyrdom operations.
KA/NK/AR End ::irna 21:49
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