By Jock Falkson
February 5, 2002

The real assassins are clearly the Palestinian terrorists. They are the ones who arm themselves with the lethal means to sew death and mayhem. They do not target specific Israelis who may have personally done them harm. Their victims are entirely random. All Israelis, men, women and children, old and young qualify for death and injury. Preferably the unarmed and defenseless.

Fame is the spur

Nor are these one-time assassinations. They are serial killings. For once having secured a place on the Palestinian heroes' list - as a result of his first successful assassination - the killer is then feted by PA leaders and populace. Before long peer pressure will compel him to kill again . . . and again. Fame is the spur, blood lust the addiction. And popular approbation balm for the ego. Killing Israelis will have become the assassin's chosen way of life. The longer he is free to kill the more he will.

Israel's moral imperative: to prevent more killings by committed serial killers

The Palestinian Authority has never convinced Israel it will arrest, try and sentence these murderers. (One of the basic tenets of the Oslo Accords.) After having raised them from childhood to hate and kill Israeli infidels, how can they? How can they turn on their "heroes" at the height of the prowess and popularity? Why does anyone wonder that the PA ensures such "heroes" not only the freedom, but also provides the motivation, to continue their reign of terror?

Israel would arrest those on their most wanted list if they could lay hands on them. Indeed a number of arrest operations have been carried out. But where arrest is not feasible - and active self-defense is - Israel has the right and the moral imperative to prevent these killers from taking the life of even one more Israeli. Or visitor.

Telling it like it is: Palestinian assassins deserved their fate. Their innocent victims did not.

In each case where Israel has admitted targeting a Palestinian serial killer, Israel has secured accurate, documented evidence on the killer. Names, biographical information, list of victims - where, when and how.

Israel frequently has the recorded confessions of these lionized "heroes" who have unconscionably boasted their murderous deeds. In many instances, captured confederates or accomplices have provided supporting evidence.

By contrast Palestinian assassins cannot lay claim to Israel's killing in self-defense. Because none of the Israelis killed had any connection to them. None had done them the slightest harm. Unlike Israel's carefully documented target list, Palestinian assassins are random killers, out to murder, maim and terrorize as many Israelis as they can. The more, the merrier will be their acclaim in the streets of Araby.

Raed Mahmoud Karmi

Let's review the bloody career of just one - Raed Mahmoud Karmi - commander of Tulkarm's murderous gang of Tanzim. Israel had specifically demanded that the PA imprison Karmi. Arafat however, had refused, implicitly encouraging him to continue his lethal agenda.

Confessions of Karmi

Karmi is on record in a CNN interview, Aug. 23, 2001: "We train the teenagers to carry out terrorist attacks inside Israeli territory... We train 17 and 18 year olds to attack settlers and to kidnap soldiers inside Israel."

Somewhat later Israel launched missiles on 2 cars whose occupants they had been tracking a long time. One missile killed 2 wanted Tanzim assassins. The other missed, allowing Karmi to escape with light injuries. Vowed Karmi, "I'll keep killing and resisting until the liberation of Palestine." Yeah, man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. And killing is what serial killers do.

Israel had no choice. It was useless to rely on the PA carrying out its Oslo obligations. Israel would have to stop Karmi in his tracks. It would have to initiate a special self-defense operation to prevent Karmi killing and maiming more of its people. It would be justifiable homicide within the full meaning of the term.

Career of a Serial Assassin

1. Dec. 7, 2000, Karmi shot up an Israeli vehicle seriously injuring two paratroopers - Avishai Gamzu and Yossi Cohen - and a civilian female - Rachel Moga.

2. If only Israel had eliminated Karmi before Jan 23, 2001 he would not have been around to murder 2 Tel-Aviv restaurateurs, Motti Dayan and Etgar Zaytuni, in Tulkarem.

3. If only Israel had liquidated Karmi before May 31 he could not have killed Zvi Shelef of Mevo Dotan.

4. If only Israel had dispatched Karmi to his rendezvous in the sky before June 18, he could not have led his gang in killing Dan Yehuda of Homesh and injuring Alex Briskin.

5. If only Israel had wasted Karmi before July 4, Eliahu Na'aman of Bnei Brak would still be alive.

6. If only Israel had eradicated Karmi before July 30 he could not have led his gang in which injured 3 Border Policemen, and severely wounded female officer Hani Abramov.

7. If only Israel had put paid to Karmi before Aug 26, he could not have murdered Dov Rosman of Netanya.

8. If only Israel had executed Karmi before Sept 6, he could not have killed the 2 off-duty IDF officers near Kibbutz Bahan.

9. If only Israel had destroyed Karmi before Oct 5, he and his gang could not have killed Hananya Ben-Avraham of Elad.

10. If only Israel had done away with Karmi before Oct 28, IDF officer, Yaniv Levy, would still be alive.

11. If only Israel had wiped him out before Oct 29, Karmi could not have attempted to kill an Israeli navy officer in Raanana.

12. If only Israel had ended his life before Nov 19, Karmi could not have led the attack that injured 3 Israelis, including a rabbi, in taxi.

13. If only Israel had put him away before Nov 28, Karmi could not have trained and led two suicide bombers on their mission. Fortunately Israeli soldiers foiled this bombing attempt.

14. Karmi again failed to introduce a suicide bomber on Dec 15, when the explosive charge accidentally blew up.

Finally, on January 14, 2002, Raed Mahmoud Karmi, 27, met his come-uppance when the car in which he was sitting blew up. Israel has not officially declared responsibility. It could indeed have been a "work" accident. Inshallah, that's acceptable, though many Israelis would be happy to learn that its Security Forces were responsible for the non-existence of this murderously "successful" serial assassin.

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