Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : The Castle -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: TimF who wrote (782)	12/10/2002 1:48:30 PM
From: TimF	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 7936

Destruction of family homes help defuse suicide bomber problem By Abraham Rabinovich WHERE death is not a deterrent to a potential suicide bomber, the certainty that harm will come to his family is proving to be a significant restraint, say Israeli army officers. Officials said this week that close to 20 terrorist attacks had been averted in the Gaza Strip recently because of the army's new policy of destroying the homes of a bomber's family. In the past three months, army bulldozers have levelled 25 homes in the Gaza Strip to enforce this policy. No figure was immediately available for the number of homes destroyed on the West Bank, but it is believed to be similar. There have been a number of reported instances where families have persuaded their kin not to undertake terror attacks for fear of the consequences. At least one father locked his son up to prevent him from carrying out a suicide attack. There have also been instances of men who turned themselves in to Israeli officials after being assigned to carry out a suicide mission. While the phenomenon of suicide bombing is far from over, Israel believes that it has found a way to moderate it. A senior army officer told the newspaper Ha'aretz that demolition of a family home, even a poor one, was a grave penalty. 'It is not merely an economic blow,' he said. 'A home has emotional value which cannot be restored. For the first time, the terrorists' families are paying a price for their sons' activities.' Up till now, the families received both praise and sympathy from Palestinian society. They were also recipients of substantial financial support - which might now be drying up due to the tightening of monetary controls. Nonetheless, the bulldozer has now become a major weapon for the Israeli army. In recent weeks, as many as 20 or more tanks and armoured personnel carriers have escorted bulldozers deep into Palestinian areas in the Gaza Strip and West Bank to demolish the homes of terrorists' families. To drive the lesson home, the army has begun to demolish homes not only of persons involved in recent terror acts but also those involved in acts carried out a year or more ago. The bulldozer incursions have frequently involved fire fights between Israeli troops and local militants, resulting sometimes in heavy casualties, including civilians. 'There is no chance of getting the Palestinians to stop the struggle, unless they pay a heavy personal price,' said the senior officer. 'The blood cannot flow only in the streets of Tel Aviv.' straitstimes.asia1.com.sg