The article deals with the
breathtaking phenomena of more then 120 men and women who committed the
unprecedented suicide action from the beginning of the “Intifada
al-Aqsa”. The biblical history is full of legends and stories
beginning with Samson and then King Saul, through Elazar Ben Yair, the
hero of Masada, who died on their swords in order not to give up their
lives to the enemy.
So suicide in the name of religious
ideas is no news. The big news carried by the modern Palestinian suicide
bombers is the volume of the acts – 120 horrible acts in 20 months, and
volunteers for the “short way to heaven” are still waiting.
These acts indicate how desperate
the Palestinians are, how minimal their diplomatic options are, or how
their political leadership is helpless.
The author bases his theory on the
religious motivation – or the Muslim Qur’an that commends the “Holy
Jihad”. Muhammad commends it when it was needed to spread the Islam
over the cultural world at the time when the world he knew consisted of
mainly Jews, Christians and idol believers.
The author also claims that Islam
reacts aggressively in times when it finds itself threatened and is more
tolerant in times of peace.
The author concludes with a suggestion
that if a solution is available – it lies partially with the relevant
moderate religious leadership who can, in certain circumstances, be
persuaded to hold the “genie back in the bottle”.
If a
military solution is to be found, it must begin by hitting the
dispatcher – those charismatic characters who mobilize and supply the
bombers, and cut the human connection with the supportive civilian
population.
