The al-Liwaa? Daily recently published an interview with Sayyed Fadlallah, one of the leading Shi?ite religious leaders in the Middle East. Fadlallah is also known to be the spiritual leader of the Hizbullah terrorist organization. When asked about targeting civilians, the Shi?ite leader expressed opposition, but made a chilling distinction between Israeli civilians and American civilians.
The al-Liwaa? interviewer asked Fadlallah, ?What is the difference between targeting civilians in Israel and in America??
The Hizbullah theologian answered, ?There is a big difference. In Palestine it is a question of self-defense being the only way the Palestinians can drive the Israelis into a security impasse.?
Toufik Tirawi, head of intelligence services in the Palestinian Authority, indirectly made a similar distinction in an interview on the Voice of Palestine. When asked about the intention of the PA to arrest terrorists in its jurisdiction, Tirawi denied that shooting at Israelis is terrorism.
?There are no terrorists,? Tirawi said, ?We will arrest no one. Those who open fire on Israelis are not terrorists.?
A press release published by Yasser Arafat?s Fatah faction of the PLO made the same point, distinguishing terrorism against Israel from the September 11th attack in the US. The release stated, ?The intifada as a legitimate form of resistance should make clear the distinction between two things: the right of any people to fight against occupation, on the one hand, and atrocities against civilians as what happened in the US on September 11, 2001, on the other hand.?
The al-Liwaa? interviewer asked Fadlallah, ?What is the difference between targeting civilians in Israel and in America??
The Hizbullah theologian answered, ?There is a big difference. In Palestine it is a question of self-defense being the only way the Palestinians can drive the Israelis into a security impasse.?
Toufik Tirawi, head of intelligence services in the Palestinian Authority, indirectly made a similar distinction in an interview on the Voice of Palestine. When asked about the intention of the PA to arrest terrorists in its jurisdiction, Tirawi denied that shooting at Israelis is terrorism.
?There are no terrorists,? Tirawi said, ?We will arrest no one. Those who open fire on Israelis are not terrorists.?
A press release published by Yasser Arafat?s Fatah faction of the PLO made the same point, distinguishing terrorism against Israel from the September 11th attack in the US. The release stated, ?The intifada as a legitimate form of resistance should make clear the distinction between two things: the right of any people to fight against occupation, on the one hand, and atrocities against civilians as what happened in the US on September 11, 2001, on the other hand.?