Israeli suicide bombing causes cease-fire

In spite of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's proposed cease-fire May 22, the fighting between Israel and Palestinians continues. The cease-fire, the first step in implementing the U.S. Mitchell Report aimed at rekindling peace negotiations, was roundly rejected by Palestinians and described as propaganda. But Saturday evening, in the wake of another suicide bombing which resulted in 20 deaths and at least 90 injuries, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat issued a cease-fire order, which Israel agreed to. In the past eight months since fighting resumed, at least 484 Palestinians and 107 Israelis have been killed.\nBecause Israel and the occupied Gaza Strip and West Bank -- especially the city of Jerusalem -- are of considerable importance to three of the world's most prominent monotheistic religions, it is small wonder that people have strong and diverging opinions regarding the conflict.\nPalestinians believe they are a people living in occupation. In 1967, as a result of a six-day war between Palestinians and Israelis, Israel gained control of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and Israelis have been settling in these areas ever since. \n"Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Gaza are not only an impediment to peace; they are illegal under international law, and are maintained only through the oppression of and violence against the Palestinian population," said senior Rima Kapitan, president and founder of Students for Justice in Palestine.\nIn a visit to the West Bank last summer, Kapitan encountered a village that had had its orchard confiscated by Israeli settlers. Kapitan said such incidents occur with regularity and are often accompanied with threats of arrest or violence. Many feel Prime Minister Sharon's rejection of the Mitchell commission's recommendation to freeze settlement construction signals his intent to maintain occupation of land and impede the creation of a Palestinian Arab homeland. Palestinian leaders say they will do what is necessary to resist occupation until the formation of an Arab homeland. \n"No people on earth would tolerate such treatment, and Palestinians are no exception," Kapitan said.\nFor many in the Jewish community, the violence constitutes acts of terrorism and wanton disrespect of life by the Palestinians. Terrorism in Israel and the threat of deadly violence for those who live in settlements of the West Bank and Gaza Strip are worse than ever. Because of the escalating threat of violence in these areas, many Israeli settlers fear sending their children to school and have even had to move family celebrations into Israel. \nDr. Martin Spechler, a professor in the Jewish Studies Department, commented on the use of force by Israelis as a response to Palestinian terrorism. "Palestinians have refused to stop the shelling, shooting and human bomb attacks on ordinary Israelis, and so the Prime Minister of Israel will have little choice but to defend his people by all means available. An American President would do the same," Spechler said in a recent letter. \nDr. Spechler said he believes the Palestinians have been unwilling to settle on a compromise to resolve the issue and that reducing settlement activity as an incentive to end violence is not the answer. \n"A few leftists favor reduced settlement activity as an incentive to end the violence. This would be to reward the intifada begun by the Palestinian Arabs after they refused the generous offer of Israel, backed by President Clinton, to set up a Palestinian state on most of the West Bank, share Jerusalem, and compensate the refugees," Spechler said. Spechler also mentioned that many of the new settlements, which are the cause of much uproar in the Palestinian community, would be traded in any final peace accord.\nAbstracting from the religious and political debate attached to the violence in the Middle East, the situation involves great human loss and tragedy and has thus captured the attention of groups such as Amnesty International. Many reports indicate that human rights violations have been accumulating rapidly during the course of the uprising.The Israelis have reportedly targeted and executed Palestinians suspected of attacking Israelis. Amnesty International likens this practice to state assassination, noting that suspects could have been arrested instead.\nSimilarly, Palestinians have been accused of targeting civilians and settlement areas for attack. There is also reasonable belief that Israeli troops have used disproportionate and, at times, reckless force resulting in needless civilian deaths. Also, there are reports of the following abuses on both sides: arbitrary arrest and detention, denial of fair trial and cruel treatment to prisoners. There is some concern that the United States, a major arms supplier to Israel, may have supplied weapons used in some of these alleged atrocities.\nPerhaps above all, people are concerned that a dangerous cycle of violence and retaliation is being cultivated in the Middle East. Junior Ari Joffe, who lived in Israel for several years, said "As an Israeli I hate to see it as much as anyone, but realistically the violence won't end in an agreement, but rather in a surrender." \nThe Associated Press contributed to this story.