"....the Palestinian leadership has enslaved itself to hatred, pride, jingoism, revenge fantasies, and fear of their most radical colleagues and citizens"
Tweak this list of accusations a little and all these can be levelled equally at Israel - none of which can be use as an excuse for the atrocities carried out against non combatants, including the one under discussion - holding the Palestinians hostage and attempting to force a settlement with humiliation and a blockade which has brought impoverishment up to the point of starvation.
The politics of the conflict can never be a reason for atrocities committed again civilians and the fact that these atrocities are carried out and have become common practice by Israel, makes it a terrorist state, not to be trusted.
Jim Carroll