You are mischaracterizing the Israeli position. They never call it payback and justify it on the basis that this was done to them. They call it a tragedy that civilians were harmed when their targets were terrorists. If a child is killed, believe me, there are no celebrations with people passing out candy and waving their arms in jubilation. If any Israeli soldier behaves cruelly, he is identified and brought to justice. Israeli terrorists end up in jail. Palestinian terrorists end up being worshipped and their survivors rewarded for their "martyrdom." This would NEVER happen in Israel. That is the difference.
I don't think so. First off, I didn't say anything about the Israeli position other than they also target children. What "people say" is what I've noticed people say here.
On the other hand, Sharon himself does basically say that those children who are killed by IDF are getting what is coming to them:
Also on March 4, Israeli troops opened fire on an ambulance in the Jenin refugee camp and killed a doctor, 57 year old Khalil Suleiman. Three medics and a nine year old girl were wounded in the Israeli army attack.Commenting on the preceding Israeli army "raids" of March 4, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon stated: "Anyone wishing to conduct negotiations with Palestinians must first hit them hard...We must inflict heavy losses on their side." Source: Los Angeles Times, March 5, 2002