Like Abu Ghraib’s “few bad apples”, Israel’s terrorists are “lunatics”
3/25/2006 8:00:00 AM GMT

(REUTERS PHOTO) Haim Habibi who carried out the attack on the Church of the Annunciation

Just as the U.S. President George W. Bush attempted to limit the damage caused by the Abu Ghraib abuse scandal in Iraq by calling soldiers involved in the crimes as a few bad apples, the Israeli government tries to downplay the repetitive terrorist attacks its citizens carry out against Christian and Muslim holy sites by claiming that those involved in such barbaric actions are only “mentally deranged” people and not terrorists.

Earlier this month, three Israeli terrorists stormed a key Christian shrine in Nazareth, throwing firecrackers inside it, sparking panic among worshipers.

At the time of the attack, the three terrorists were immediately identified by Israeli authorities as a Jerusalem couple who had been treated for psychiatric problems in the past, and their daughter.

Israel’s Internal Security Minister Gideon Ezra claimed that the barbaric attack on Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth city wasn’t a terrorist action as it was carried out by a group of mentally disturbed Israelis.

But even if we assumed that Ezra’s claim was true, said an editorial posted on Arab View, this doesn’t clear Israel of terrorism, as it was not the first incident where Israelis are caught attacking religious shrines in the occupied territories, and the same claim is given by officials from the Israeli government.

When Israeli terrorist attempted to burn down Al-Aqsa Mosque, Israeli leaders immediately commented saying that the attacker wasn’t a terrorist, but simply insane.

Also when Israeli terrorist attacked Al-Ibrahimi Mosque during the Fajr (dawn prayers), endangering the lives of hundreds of Muslim worshipers, same line of defense was used, Israeli officials said that the man was mentally deranged.

So assuming that Israeli officials were saying the truth in all these incidents, this should mean that Israel is free of terrorists and terrorism.

Also if we counted the number of Israeli terrorist attacks against innocent Palestinian citizens, this will mean, in light of Israeli officials’ claims, that half of the Israeli citizens are lunatics.

The recent attack, involving three Israelis disguised as Christian pilgrims who entered the Church in Nazareth and threw firecrackers, was the third of its kind against the Church of Annunciation, which marks the site where, according to the Bible, the angel Gabriel announced to the Virgin Mary that she would give birth to Jesus.

The same Israelis who attacked Church of Annunciation, had previously threatened to blow up Al-Mahd Church as reported by the Israeli media.

The Israeli Army violated the sanctity of Al-Qiyamah and Al-Mahd (the Nativity) churches, dropping bombs on Al-Mahd Church claiming that terrorists were hiding inside the church.

Also it was reported that MK Mohammad Barakeh, Hadash-Taal Party, warned that Israeli extremists were planning a series of attacks against the Arabs in Israel.

And Sheikh Raed Salah, head of the Islamic Movement, said that he received information that the attacker first went to the white mosque in Nazareth, but found out that the number of worshipers was “not large enough” and thus decided to attack the Church instead.

Salah described the recent attack by the three Israeli terrorists, as an organized crime against one of the most holy sites in the country.

So what the Israeli government wants us to believe is that Arabs, fighting occupiers to free Palestine, which is legally permitted under international law, agreements and conventions are the only terrorists.

It’s noteworthy that Palestinians who participated in the massive riots sparked by the barbaric attack in the Israeli Arab town, were Muslim and Christian Palestinians, who were first to rush to the Church of Annunciation to protect it.

Arabs don’t differentiate between religions, Arab View editorial said.

Arabs history is rich with incidents were Muslims and Christians carried the flag of unity defending Islamic and Christian holy sites in the occupied Palestine and elsewhere.

The attack on Church of Annunciation was nothing but a terrorist attack; part of Israeli plan that seeks the destruction of Christian and Islamic religious properties and thus turn Jerusalem into an exclusively Jewish city.

http://aljazeera.com/me.asp?service_ID=10760