[Islam-Online- Politic]

Terrorism writ-large! An Israeli Merkava tank
churns up dust and billows smoke as it passes a
partially destroyed Mosque during a large
Israeli armored exercise on the Golan Heights

A suicide mission in the heart of Jerusalem conducted by a young Palestinian man is defined as an act of terrorism. The almost daily Israeli bombardments of South Lebanon are seen as justifiable Israeli acts of retaliation to combat terrorism. Why?

Unfortunately, such a question is no longer lingering in the Arab media and mind as it once was and should have remained. In fact, in order for many Arabs to distance themselves from any act that can be described by Israel and the United States as "terrorism," they appear more furious and hostile to this "violent" approach than Israel itself does. In the meantime, Israel nowadays is hardly held accountable for its part in the endless violence as if its repetition has become daily ritual that the residents of South Lebanon depend on for a good night's sleep.

It is absurd, odd and maddening. I personally hold no expectation for the United States to change its unfair and bias stand. Washington hardly fails to side with Israel. The United States' close relations to the Middle East are motivated by two factors, its support of Israel and its need for the region's abundant resources. Therefore, blaming the US of immorality is merely a waste of time.

The worrisome notion is the fact that Israel's mental manipulation is driving many Arabs and Muslims to see the world through Israel's eyes. While many are engaged in a never-ending debate over whether suicide bombings are morally permissible or not, Israel's terrorism is overlooked and no longer confronted as the real source of violence.

Israel is lucky enough to have its influence in western media, who cleverly conceal its faults. The terrorist bombardment of civilians in South Lebanon is therefore an act of retaliation. Real bullets become rubber bullets; the killing of unarmed Palestinians becomes an act of self-defense. Even the direct genocide of Palestinian civilians by an Israeli Jewish terrorist, according to twisted Israeli definitions, becomes an unfortunate act from a mentally disabled person.

The violent behavior of a Palestinian who was born stateless, poor and physically and mentally oppressed originates from an entirely different circumstance than an Israeli Jew who spent some or most of his life in Brooklyn, Moscow or elsewhere. Even if the question

An Israeli soldier guards a new
building site in the West Bank
settlement of Kohav Yaacov south
east of Jerusalem.

narrows down to rejecting terrorism in all of its forms and mechanisms, regardless of its origin and motivations, shouldn't the term terrorism become associated with both Israelis and Palestinians?

Israel's terrorism is of much larger magnitude than terrorism promoted to by a small group of individuals, for Israel's terrorism is the result of a state-approved agenda. In fact, Israeli terrorism is dealt with openly during campaign elections and public debates, although they refer to it with different names. When an Israeli candidate promotes himself in order to gather support among voters, he promises to crack down on Lebanese terrorists (translation: "I promise to randomly bombard South Lebanon").

It is indeed frightening to know that Israel's terminology is finally doing its magic. When the media report that three Lebanese civilians were killed and eight were hurt in an Israeli air raid, no one expects that such killings shall affect the continuation of the peace process or Israel's image around the world. If the same killings are of Israelis, accrued following a suicide bombing while they in fact resemble a desperate cry for help, most of us hold our breath, waiting for an Israeli backlash. Intelligent political analysis and commentary fills the newspapers on whether such a "hideous act" will jeopardize the peace process. And when Israeli leaders declare their willingness to resume the peace process regardless of terrorism, the world stands, bows and applauds the courageous Israeli leaders for their warm hearts and their endurance.

Does anyone know Suad Fouan, a Lebanese woman from al-Houlah village in occupied South Lebanon? Suad was wounded after an Israeli missile fell on her house in early November. The Israeli missile also injured seven of Suad's neighbors. Thousands were not as lucky as Suad and her neighbor, for they died after hi-tech Israeli weapons bombarded their humble homes in the dark. And the world refuses to see or acknowledge such cruelty, inhumanity and blatant terrorism.

Pleasing the United States by defaming Arab terrorism is consequently affecting our ability to point at Israel's ongoing campaign of terror in South Lebanon and the occupied Palestinian territories. It is important to remind us who is causing the ongoing Middle East violence. If we overlook such a fact, Israel's deceptive definition of the term, "terrorism," shall make the Israeli account the only side of the coin that the world shall ever see.

Ramzy Baroud is a freelance writer from Seattle, Washington. For feedback, e-mail ramzy5@worldnet.att.net

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