Israel killed seven Palestinians including a three-year-old girl in the northern Gaza strip today ion two separate attacks. Though Palestinian medicos had earlier said that an Israel tank shell killed the seven, but later modified their statement, saying the toll included two militants, one from the ruling Islamist Hamas group from an earlier Israeli air strike. While the Israeli army confirmed the air strike but said the latest attack on the town of Jabalya was an additional air strike and not a tank shell launched against a group of militants who had fired an anti-tank missile at them.



Palestinian witnesses described how the Israeli army targeted a crowd which had had gathered to watch Israeli forces in the area .They said three militants from a Hamas- led security force were among the five killed but did not confirm whether they attacked the Israeli troops. Three more militants were wounded in the latest attack .Israeli forces have pushed into several areas of Gaza periodically since the capture of one of their soldiers on June 25 by Palestinian militants.



It is time that the Israelis and Arabs reconciled to the fact that both have to live side by side and cannot forever be at each others throat, killing, maiming and pillaging. As it is thousands of precious lives have been lost over the years of senseless bloodletting. So far as demarcating of borders is concerned, both should accept the verdict of the United Nations General Assembly and resolve to live in amity and brotherhood. Already generations have grown up in an atmosphere of fear and hatred. Leaders on both sides should show maturity and enlightenment so that coming generations do not know any fear or hatred but only determination to come to each others aid in times of crisis. Of course there are hardliners on both sides but they will have to be sidelined. That is the only way out and the sooner both realize it the better.



Via : Reuters