The way to prevent future bombers suddenly became clear when I read that the latest homicide/genocide bombing by a Palestinian female was done to 'save face' because she had an affair. All it requires is using the bomber's own twisted world-view against them.
In Arab society, the idea of 'face' is so important that it even supercedes life itself. Like the feudal Japanese, committing suicide is more acceptable to them than making atonement in this life for some transgression. And while the civilized world may regard such thinking as primitive and self-defeating in the extreme, one cannot deal with such people on a higher level. One must base one's actions and words in terms to which the less civilized person or society will respond.
In the society from which this latest bomber came, 'face' is all about bringing honor to her family and peers. Therefore, if one can turn the bomber's act into a source of eternal derision, shame and ridicule, far worse than whatever it was they were killing themselves for, it will be a disincentive for them to go around blowing up innocent people.
So here is what Israel, and any other country that suffers from homicide bombers, should do.
First, never return the body for 'proper burial.' It merely gives those who support that sort of behavior a chance to glorify the bomber in a public funeral parade. Instead, the remains of the bomber should be disposed of in a manner which is forbidden by whatever credo they follow. In the case of a Muslim, wrapping them in a pig's carcass, burying them in unhallowed ground, after 24 hours have passed (maybe call it 'The Cemetery of the Accursed'), and then pouring suet on the soil, is taboo to their beliefs and would be a great disincentive.
To those who would object to such treatment as disrespectful, I pose the question: Why is a homicide bomber worthy of respect? This is not about disrespect of a religion; it is about dishonoring a murderer to convince others that the same fate will await them if they choose to murder. Decent, non-murdering people of all faiths are worthy of respect, not those who pervert their own religion to justify killing. May I also remind objectors that Muslims have, in the past, used Jewish and Christian tombstones for urinals and paving stones, while Jews would never desecrate a Muslim cemetery. Nor have the offending parties restored any of these desecrated burial artifacts.
Meanwhile, a tombstone should be erected. This tombstone will be a monument for all time attesting to the shame of the bomber. In the case of the recent female bomber, it might read:
"Here lies Reem Salah Al-Rayashi, a murderess and adulteress who abandoned her children by blowing herself up to kill as many innocent people as possible in the vain hope of selfishly redeeming her promiscuous soul in the blood of innocents. This murdering adulteress brought untold suffering to her own people. Her act caused them to lose several days wages and forced them to undergo many hardships in order to eventually return to their jobs. May her name be remembered and cursed forever."
And speaking of workers, they too can be employed in the eternal shaming of the homicide bomber. Whenever crossings are closed because of a bombing, billboards should be erected wherever the affected people live and commute saying something like, "Reem Salah Al-Rayashi caused today's closings. She murdered innocent people because she wanted to atone for her adultery."
Going along with this theme, signs should also be erected where there are more stringent security measures. Such a sign might read: "Reem Salah Al-Rayashi, the murdering adulteress, is responsible for your suffering and long wait." Likewise, periodic announcements saying the same thing can be made over loudspeakers for those who fail to read the signs.
At the same time, loudspeaker cars can be dispatched to the bomber's home town, telling the people that any suffering they may undergo to prevent future bombings can be attributed to the bomber. These loudspeaker cars can also announce the original shameful act, which caused the bomber to kill him/herself while murdering innocent people. Even skywriting planes, flying over the bomber's territory, can be employed. It would be like writing their sins on Heaven's window. Every hardship undergone by people as a result of the bomber's act ? and thus subsequent security measures ? must be blamed on the bomber as loudly and as often as possible.
The whole point is to shame the bomber to as many people as often as possible, thus making them remembered for their heinous acts. If the potential bomber knows that the shame and loss of face they suffer now would be far greater if they were to commit a bombing, they wouldn't do it. Even their families would encourage them not to do it for the shame it would bring to the family name.
It's time to stop letting homicide bombers have a hero's burial, have songs written about them, and have schools named after them. It's time to have their own people remember them as the ones who brought them hardships. It's time to shame the bomber for all eternity to the world in general, and to his or her own people in particular.
In Arab society, the idea of 'face' is so important that it even supercedes life itself. Like the feudal Japanese, committing suicide is more acceptable to them than making atonement in this life for some transgression. And while the civilized world may regard such thinking as primitive and self-defeating in the extreme, one cannot deal with such people on a higher level. One must base one's actions and words in terms to which the less civilized person or society will respond.
In the society from which this latest bomber came, 'face' is all about bringing honor to her family and peers. Therefore, if one can turn the bomber's act into a source of eternal derision, shame and ridicule, far worse than whatever it was they were killing themselves for, it will be a disincentive for them to go around blowing up innocent people.
So here is what Israel, and any other country that suffers from homicide bombers, should do.
First, never return the body for 'proper burial.' It merely gives those who support that sort of behavior a chance to glorify the bomber in a public funeral parade. Instead, the remains of the bomber should be disposed of in a manner which is forbidden by whatever credo they follow. In the case of a Muslim, wrapping them in a pig's carcass, burying them in unhallowed ground, after 24 hours have passed (maybe call it 'The Cemetery of the Accursed'), and then pouring suet on the soil, is taboo to their beliefs and would be a great disincentive.
To those who would object to such treatment as disrespectful, I pose the question: Why is a homicide bomber worthy of respect? This is not about disrespect of a religion; it is about dishonoring a murderer to convince others that the same fate will await them if they choose to murder. Decent, non-murdering people of all faiths are worthy of respect, not those who pervert their own religion to justify killing. May I also remind objectors that Muslims have, in the past, used Jewish and Christian tombstones for urinals and paving stones, while Jews would never desecrate a Muslim cemetery. Nor have the offending parties restored any of these desecrated burial artifacts.
Meanwhile, a tombstone should be erected. This tombstone will be a monument for all time attesting to the shame of the bomber. In the case of the recent female bomber, it might read:
"Here lies Reem Salah Al-Rayashi, a murderess and adulteress who abandoned her children by blowing herself up to kill as many innocent people as possible in the vain hope of selfishly redeeming her promiscuous soul in the blood of innocents. This murdering adulteress brought untold suffering to her own people. Her act caused them to lose several days wages and forced them to undergo many hardships in order to eventually return to their jobs. May her name be remembered and cursed forever."
And speaking of workers, they too can be employed in the eternal shaming of the homicide bomber. Whenever crossings are closed because of a bombing, billboards should be erected wherever the affected people live and commute saying something like, "Reem Salah Al-Rayashi caused today's closings. She murdered innocent people because she wanted to atone for her adultery."
Going along with this theme, signs should also be erected where there are more stringent security measures. Such a sign might read: "Reem Salah Al-Rayashi, the murdering adulteress, is responsible for your suffering and long wait." Likewise, periodic announcements saying the same thing can be made over loudspeakers for those who fail to read the signs.
At the same time, loudspeaker cars can be dispatched to the bomber's home town, telling the people that any suffering they may undergo to prevent future bombings can be attributed to the bomber. These loudspeaker cars can also announce the original shameful act, which caused the bomber to kill him/herself while murdering innocent people. Even skywriting planes, flying over the bomber's territory, can be employed. It would be like writing their sins on Heaven's window. Every hardship undergone by people as a result of the bomber's act ? and thus subsequent security measures ? must be blamed on the bomber as loudly and as often as possible.
The whole point is to shame the bomber to as many people as often as possible, thus making them remembered for their heinous acts. If the potential bomber knows that the shame and loss of face they suffer now would be far greater if they were to commit a bombing, they wouldn't do it. Even their families would encourage them not to do it for the shame it would bring to the family name.
It's time to stop letting homicide bombers have a hero's burial, have songs written about them, and have schools named after them. It's time to have their own people remember them as the ones who brought them hardships. It's time to shame the bomber for all eternity to the world in general, and to his or her own people in particular.