Where I Stand — Mike O’Callaghan: Terrorism is terrorism

Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2001 | 8:53 a.m.

President George W. Bush told press members that "clearly, there are some in the world who do not want us to achieve peace in the Middle East." A very clear statement that could have ended by naming Yasser Arafat and the governments of Syria and Iran, who support both Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists, as people not wanting peace.

Arafat, as chairman of the Palestinian Authority, again told the world he felt badly about the murders and promised to round up the perpetrators of the crimes. Just how many times have we seen this scene replayed by him? More often than most of us can hastily recall. He brings in the cameras as dozens of suspected terrorists are taken into custody. Then during the following several weeks they are released quietly back into the Palestinian population. In short order, some of them again kill Israel citizens with surprise bombing attacks. When the Israelis say they believed the killers were confined, their complaints are shrugged off by an Arafat mouthpiece.

I have watched this game played over and over again since my presence in Israel during the first intifada. Also during those same years, Arafat has become a salesman who smiles and talks peace in front of the world but in Arabic he urges terrorists on to bigger and bloodier acts.

Israel has helped Arafat create his own police force and government. In the process he has looked upon government money as his own and abused the use of his loyal Fatah followers and police force. More police firepower has been used against the Israeli Army than has been used to control Hamas. Actually Hamas and Arafat's Fatah have been collaborating in several actions against legitimate Israeli units.

It's difficult for me to distinguish between Arafat's deception as a leader and his inability to do anything constructive. Last year he proved his inability or unwillingness to pursue peace at the negotiating table. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak offered Arafat everything but the Wailing Wall to bring peace. This offer was rejected and within a few months it lost Barak his leadership role to Ariel Sharon.

Changing from a guerrilla leader to leading a legitimate government is always a difficult task. Arafat has failed and found greater comfort by spreading terror. In spreading terror, he has allowed the use of women and children to lead attacks and provoke soldiers of Israel.

Then came the publicity cries and pictures of the poor stone throwers bleeding and a soldier with a gun. This publicity spin that Arafat has been creating for the past 14 years is now exposed for what it is. It now appears that our young president, George W. Bush, has seen through the facade built around Arafat's lies.

I don't know if Arafat can turn off the Hamas activities among the Palestinians he has taught to hate Jews. Arafat has been supporting the summer camps and schools that teach hate and weaponry. He can't preach hate and encourage killing for years and then be able to turn it off when the results become inconvenient and cause a public relations backfire.

The United States now has to back up a strong statement that terrorism is terrorism and Israel is, like our country, a victim of terrorism. This has been true for many years, but nations of the world have turned their collective heads. September 11, 2001, our own country suffered heavily here at home from people supported by some of the same nations supporting both Hamas and Hezbollah. Terrorism can't be stamped out in Afghanistan and allowed to thrive in Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Iraq and other Islamic nations because it is a deadly disease that recognizes no national borders.

President Bush has told nations they are either with us or against us. Now Prime Minister Sharon has told nations they are either with Israel or with the terrorists. I find picking sides on the issue of terrorism versus legitimately elected governments an easy choice.