"Lock the doors and close the blinds -- we're going for a ride..."

I logged on tonight with the intention of talking about the newfound fight against "indecency" that has been occurring ever since the "wardrobe malfunction" took place at the Superbowl. It was going to be witty, poignant, and make a lot of sense. And I was going to use the f-word. a lot.

That's all changed now. I just saw the breaking news that Sheik Ahmed Yassin, the founder and spritual and tactical leader of Hamas, was killed by Israeli fire today. Hamas is simply an acronym for Harakat al-Muqawamah al-Islamiyya which translates to "The Islamic Resistance Movement." However, they have claimed responsibility for numerous suicide and homicide bombings, killing innocent Jewish and Arab civilians.

The news wires have been in overdrive getting their stories out. Israeli helicopters shot missiles at him and his bodyguards on his way out of the mosque where he had just worshipped. Oh -- and he's a quadraplegic.
That alone is basis for a good story -- Israeli helicopters shoot a missile at a religious guy in a wheelchair.

What isn't so apparent in these stories is that this religious guy in a wheelchair has persuaded scores of followers to strap explosives on their bodies and detonate themselves in crowded areas in order to kill civilians. He has been at war with Israel, and he has commanded his troops on missions which guarrantee their own deaths.

The stories aren't going to mention that his group took responsibility for the two suicide bombers who infiltrated a crowd at the port of Ashdod. How did they get so close to everyone? One of them said he was thirsty and asked for some water, which he received. And then he and his buddy killed more than 10 people. That's grattitude for you...

The stories are going to overlook the fate of George Khoury, a 20-year-old Arab Israeli killed by Palestinian militants who mistook him for a Jewish settler. His grandfather was killed in a Palestinian bomb attack in Jerusalem 20 years ago. Of course Yasser Arafat's terrorist wing of Fatah took responsibility, but admitted that it was a mistake -- and said that he was a martyr for their cause. How thoughtful. George's father had a mouthful to say -- he wasn't so pleased with his son's "martyr" status.

No. The stories that will appear this week will talk about Israel suppressing a revolution by killing a guy in a wheelchair.

Look - I'm upset about this as well. I really want the killing to stop on both sides. Too many people have died already. But this is war. When the soldiers are killing themselves -- and others -- on the front lines, what other choice is there but to go after the general?

I also fear that there will be retaliation. And that someone I know will be on the wrong bus at the wrong time, simply trying to get to work. I don't want to go through that.

Again.

Last year it was Gila, who luckilly survived a shrapnel hit to the face when a bus exploded near her in Machane Yehuda. We were worried that she would lose her sight, but she was able to recover thankfully. But in 1996 it was Sara and her boyfriend who were simply riding the bus to school when a terrorist detonated himself on it, ripping them to pieces. The two of them are the reason I instinctively need to check the Israeli websites for victims' names as soon as I hear that another attack has occurred.

It's getting worse. When terrorists are so desparate to get their message across that they'll use 11 year old boys as bomb courriers, you know we're living in desparate times. I just hope we get to a point where negotiations can proceed once again -- and the violence stops escalating.

Night all...