First, condolences to the families, Jewish and Arab, of those hurt or killed in yesterday’s bombing. I’ll include one sentence from an Agence France-Presse report that I didn’t hear on the nightly news:
The radical Palestinian movement Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack which it said was carried out by a 29-year-old female lawyer, Hanadi Tayssir Jaradat, whose brother and cousin had been killed by the Israeli army in June.
I don’t think this requires any comment.
Second, I direct you to a good essay in the Daily Star by Ellen Siegel. It expands on some of the themes in my column last Monday. A sample:
I must differentiate between my religious beliefs, my history and Israel’s policies toward the Palestinians. Being Jewish does not mean that I have to support Israel’s oppressive policies towards the Palestinians, the occupation, the violation of human rights and assassinations.
The holidays fall around the same time every year. Each holiday I am haunted by the anniversary of the Sabra and Shatila massacre. Always, I remember, I reflect, I repent. I renew my commitment to what is right and just to the cause of the Palestinians in the camps.
