Where I Stand—Mike O’Callaghan: The making of killers

Friday, June 29, 2001 | 4:30 a.m.

Mike O'Callaghan is the Las Vegas Sun executive editor.

"I will take my soul in my hand and toss it into the abyss of death. ... The honorable soul has two objectives: Achieving death and honor."

-- Taken from a Palestinian middle school textbook.

ISRAEL PRIME MINISTER Ariel Sharon was at the White House meeting with President George W. Bush, and Secretary of State Colin Powell has visited both Arabs and Israelis in Jerusalem. There is no doubt that all three men have a strong desire for peace, but I'm not sure that the fourth man in this drama, Yasser Arafat, has the same desire. It's possible that even if he has put his days of terror and hate behind him there is little chance he can douse the latest fire he started in the Middle East 10 months ago.

Hate can't be preached in schools and terrorists looked up to as heroes for several decades, and then expect it to turn into love and understanding in a few short months, no matter what leaders desire. Not only have Palestinian children been taught to hate Jews in their schools, more than 25,000 went to camps last summer to learn how to kill and destroy. These camps were paid for by money given the Palestinian Authority to develop a responsible government and economic base.

The youngsters, from the ages of 8 to 20, have not only been taught to kill Jews, but to believe it will give then a special place in paradise. After several years of this indoctrination the young men seek to display their hate and die for this honor.

The bloody bombing murder of 21 innocent young Jews in a Tel Aviv disco last month was carried out by Saeed Hotari. USA Today's Jack Kelley, writing from Zarqa, Jordan, gives readers a taste of the Palestinian state of mind:

"Neighbors hang pictures on their trees of Saeed Hotari holding seven sticks of dynamite. They spray-paint graffiti reading '21 and counting' on their stone walls. And they arrange flowers in the shapes of a heart and a bomb to display on their front doors.

" 'I am very happy and proud of what my son did and, frankly, am a bit jealous,' says Hassan Hotari, 54, father of the young man who carried out the attack June 1 outside a disco in Tel Aviv. It was Israel's worst suicide bombing in nearly four years. 'I wish I had done (the bombing). My son has fulfilled the Prophet's (Mohammed's) wishes. He has become a hero! Tell me, what more could a father ask?' "

Kelley goes on to explain, "Lured by promises of financial stability for their families, eternal martyrdom and unlimited sex in the afterlife, dozens of militant Palestinians like Hotari aspire to blow themselves up, Israeli and Palestinian officials say. Their goal: to kill or injure as many Jews as possible in the hope that Israel will withdraw from Gaza and the West Bank."

Sharon, at the White House, made known his demand for at least "10 days of absolute quiet" free of bloodshed and then "moving into a cooling-off period." Later, in Jerusalem, he told Powell that one week of quiet would be adequate, with a six-week cooling-off period following.

He explained to Bush, "The Israeli position is that we can negotiate only ... after a full cessation of hostilities, terror, violence and incitement." What the prime minister made known is that he and Israel can't make peace by themselves. It takes two to tango, and at this time, Arafat and the Palestinians are only hearing their own music. It's the music of hate they have sown among their young for so many years.

As I wrote in this column two months ago, don't be surprised if, instead of peace, there is all-out war coming to the Middle East. There cannot be peace without some drastic changes, but what has been taught in schools and camps for so many years can't be undone in a few months or even years.

"We will settle our claims with stones and bullets" and "When I wander into Jerusalem I will become a suicide bomber."

-- Televised words of children on the Palestinian's version of "Sesame Street" called "Children's Club." (Near East Report).