Editorial: Condemn terrorism, not Israel

Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2003 | 8:31 a.m.

Syria is asking the U.N. Security Council to condemn Sunday's attack by Israel on a target 10 miles northwest of its capital, Damascus. The country that shares a 47-mile border with Israel is crying foul. But does Syria believe it can sponsor terrorism against Israel, and function as an incubator for terrorists throughout the Middle East, and never be held accountable or face retaliation?

We agree with President Bush, who said he had told Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon after the air attack that Israel "has a right to defend herself, that Israel must not feel constrained in terms of defending the homeland." Hopeful that peace may someday be reached, Bush also said he had told Sharon that "it's very important that any action Israel takes should avoid escalation and creating higher tensions."

Sunday's attack by Israel on a suspected terrorism training camp followed the Saturday suicide bombing at a restaurant in the northern Israeli city of Haifa. The bombing, which killed 19 people in addition to the female bomber, followed a familiar and terrible pattern. According to a Washington Post report, the bomber's motive was revenge for the killing of her brother and cousin by Israeli security forces. The security forces had allegedly killed the two because of their activities as members of the terrorist organization Islamic Jihad. It was in retaliation for the suicide bombing that Israel attacked the site in Syria.

This cycle of vengeance and retaliation is doomed to go on forever until Middle Eastern countries -- Syria among them -- stop supporting and exporting terrorism and sincerely begin opposing it. On Monday new Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia said in one breath that he wants to begin peace talks with Israel, but in the next breath he said he won't crack down on militants and terrorists. As long as this attitude prevails on the part of Middle Eastern leaders, Israel will be justified in sending the kind of message delivered Sunday morning outside of Damascus.