"Five years ago, Middle Eastern extremists were killing Israelis and Americans. Today they are killing each other.

So why is it that some people persist in claiming that Israel's and America's Middle East policy is a failure?"

Excerpt:

A friend in Israel notes that, during the previous week, whenever the television news would announce a possible ceasefire between the Palestinian factions of Hamas and Fatah, her husband would shout towards the television, "No! No! Don't do it!" True to their schools of bloodlust, they didn't. And in victory finished off what enemies they could in classic Palestinian style, forced surrender followed summary execution in the streets, in front of the fighters' wives, mothers, and children whenever possible. No Gitmo for these combatants.

The same friend also notes that rooting for the fighting to continue in Gaza is one of the secret or not-so-secret joys of being an Israeli this June. Rush Limbaugh in one of his waggish moments this morning noted that global diplomats relished the civil war because it would bring about a need for a three-state solution. Israeli defense officials were not quite so jovial in public, but did note that one of the future benefits of the "triumph" of Hamas in Gaza and elsewhere would be a target-rich environment. Yakov Katz, writing in the Jerusalem Post, wisely notes:

"From a military perspective, some defense officials actually said there was reason to be thankful for Hamas's takeover of the Strip. Before the recent round of intra-Palestinian violence, Israel had to distinguish between Fatah and Hamas gunmen in Gaza and make sure that that the former, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas's loyalists, were not targeted. Now, according to this view, there is no longer any need to draw such distinctions, since all gunmen are Hamas and therefore fair game." -- Jerusalem Post

Fair game indeed and one hopes there will be some followup. But with or without Israel, the Palestinians will go on killing each other in increasing numbers. Why? Because its what they do. After 60 years of hate, it is all they know. Killing is their destiny. It might seem strange that the only "entity" that can now save the Palestinian people from themselves is the "Zionist Entity," but "that's the fact, Jack." Given the triumphant announcement that the moment of Islamic Rule had finally arrived in Gaza, it is just going to be one fresh hell one day after another for any innocent people trapped there.

More here

(For more postings from me, see TONGUE-TIED, EDUCATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL, GREENIE WATCH, POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH, FOOD & HEALTH SKEPTIC, GUN WATCH, SOCIALIZED MEDICINE, AUSTRALIAN POLITICS, DISSECTING LEFTISM, IMMIGRATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL and EYE ON BRITAIN. My Home Pages are here or here or here. Email me (John Ray) here.)