Bush condemns Israeli gunship attack

swissinfo ^ | June 10, 2003 4:50 PM

[yonif]

President Bush has criticised an Israeli assassination attempt on a senior member of the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Bush said he was concerned the attack would undermine the latest peace talks between the Israeli and Palestinian leaders which took place last week.

Israeli troops injured Abdel Aziz al Rantissi and killed two others when they fired on Rantissi's car from a helicopter gunship.

The Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, condemned the attack, while Hamas has threatened revenge.

[Courier]

If even half of this article is true, me becoming a Bush hater might become true too.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=301839&contrassID=2&subContrassID=5&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y

[MarkL]

Bush said he was concerned the attack would undermine the latest peace talks between the Israeli and Palestinian leaders which took place last week.

The last I heard was that Hamas spokesmen were saying that they had no intention of stopping their attacks on Israeli civilians. It seems to me that was a defacto rejection of the peace agreement. So what ever Hamas gets from the IDF is what they deserve.

Mark

[judicial meanz]

You've always had a very clear head and a keen intellect I have admired since I was a lurker. I respect that very much.

It doesnt seem to matter if its a Republican or a Democrat, on the matter of Israel, they ultimately decide to assist them in national suicide. Makes me sick.

Geographically, we ( the US) are engaged in military action in Iraq and Afghanistan. Having troops on the ground there means we have troops who can be killed by these same terrorist idiots who are killing Israelis. Palestinian volunteers fought on the side of Iraq amd Saddam against us just a few weeks ago, and inflicted US casualties in Baghdad. I havent forgot.

it would be very easy for the entire Middle East region to fire up in a regional war over the Palestinian issue, and we would be immediately involved on the side of ISrael.

I wont even attempt to solve the middle east crisis from a keyboard, but I will say this. Its a lot easier and less bloody to come out firmly on the side of Israel, back her, and allow some type of containment to evolve from within the Arab world.

We cant afford to alienate an ally that is stauncher in their support for us than Great Britain ( check the UN records.)

But...its only my opinion

take care my friend

[American in Israel]

You are seriously clueless...

[colorado tanker]

I understand what Bush is doing here. If (and in my opinion when) the "road map" goes off the road, he wants it clear that the fault is with the Pali terrorists, not the Israeli's.

Still, I wish the IDF would take out the entire senior leadership of Hamas, starting with Yassin. That and only that will bring them to a bargaining table.

[American in Israel]

Hey, I am just another lurker gone balistic due to the bias in the press. Blessings...

[judicial meanz]

I've been a dedicated Conservative all of my life. I hate the thought of jumping ship and supporting anything that doesnt preserve our shared traditions and values, as well as our national sense of right and wrong.

I wouldnt vote Dem. I just wouldnt vote, or would write mickey mouse in for a term.

[doc]

Sharon does not want peace. Israel needs to pull back from all of its illegal settlements in accordance with the treaty signed by Israel, yes signed by Israel. A Palestinain state must be established. After this takes place the Palestinian government must police their own. That means arresting terrorists and punish them with either a prison term or death depending upon the crime. If the Palestinian government fails to uphold the law then we go in and replace it with one that will.

[RightWhale]

the attack would undermine the latest peace talks

That cannot be allowed. Palestinian militants and Israeli militants must be policed by their own. If Palestine will not police its own militants, it lacks the moxie to be a State. If Israel wants to police the Palestinian militants, it should adopt a lower profile in its tactical engagements.

[jjm2111]

I'll never understand why our Government refuses to let Israel defend itself. Why kiss the PAs butt?

[MississippiMan]

I've said since early in his administration, when I was a much bigger Bush fan than I now am, that he was likely to be a one-termer just like his father. He's trying to please everyone, which inherently means standing for nothing. He's never going to get the votes of devoted Democrats who'll hate his guts no matter what, and he's eroding his own base more with each passing day.

MM

[Courier]

Me too.

And one way or another you will be the only voter in America who gets exactly who he voted for, Mickey Mouse.

[American in Israel]

It is called sucking up instead of standing up. I can understand it, but I cannot respect it.

[BabsC]

The Izzis pulled the same terrorism in their treachery against the British.

Read your history. The British have much to be ashamed of leading up to the establishment of Israel. Ever hear of the ship called the Struma?

[colorado tanker]

I suspect the "road map" is the price Bush had to pay to keep the British, Saudis, Jordanians and other Arab states in the coalition. I still don't like it, but there it is.

[rimtop56]

"It was a nice peacful part of the world till the Izzis crowded it up and put in all that tacky junk."

It was a nearly empty part of the world until the Israelis, who have lived there continually for thousands of years built it up and made it prosperous, planting forests which changed the weather patterns, building businesses and hiring both Jews and non-Jews as workers. The so-called Palestinians are 90% Arabs from other parts of the Middle East who have moved there to try to crowd out the Jewish people.

Not even Arafat is a Palestinian; he was born in Cairo.

Is your position actually that the solution to "tacky" pizza and ice cream parlors is to blow them up along with the people who go there?

[Delbert]

More and more as I read the news, I am fairly certain that very soon, The Big Show will take place regarding Israel. I am not happy with the wishy washy stance of the U.S. Adminstration. Israel needs to tell Bush, you are either for us or against us. Such hipocracy....its ok for us to kick a$$ on our attackers but when Israel retaliates for attacks the U.S. gets troubled. It's bullsh!t. The "Road Map" is being force fed to the Israelis and it will fail, then all eyes will be on the Burdensome Stone.

[dagnabbit]

Maybe Bush looked into Abu Mazen's soul and liked what he saw.

[SwinneySwitch]

"The president is deeply troubled by the strike," he said.

Translation: "You missed Abdel Aziz al Rantissi."

[dagnabbit]

Good cartoon. The Saudis have basically been allowed to get away with 9-11.