White House Rebukes Israel for Attack, Calls It ‘Heavy-Handed’
President Bush issued one of his sharpest rebukes against Israel today, denouncing as “heavy-handed” the attack that killed a Hamas leader and expressing regret over “the loss of innocent life.”
“This heavy-handed action does not contribute to peace,” said the president’s chief spokesman, Ari Fleischer. “This message will be conveyed to Israeli authorities, and the United States regrets the loss of life.”
At least 14 other people, including several children, were killed in the missile attack that killed Salah Shehadeh, a founder and the top commander of Hamas’s military wing. Scores of others were wounded.
I feel awful about the tragedy that occurred in regards to the innocent children, and I am sure that this will be a major piece of propoganda for the anti-Israel crowd. I do not excuse the action, but I have a hard time believing the death of innocents was intentional.
The larger message, though, should be: “Hang out with murdering, terrorist thugs who spend their entire lives plotting and fomenting violence against innocents, and you might end up dead.” I can live with that message, and I hope some of the Hamas scum take it to heart.