...Two days after the incident in northern Israel and on the same day as two new homicide bombings struck at a shopping plaza in Rosh Haayin, near Tel Aviv, and at a bus stop in the West Bank, killing two Israelis, Secretary of State Colin Powell said, "we will not be stopped by bombs." Why let a little thing like war get in the way of peace? While the United States would not negotiate with those responsible for terror attacks on our soil, it has no problem forcing Israel into new and dangerous concessions with those who attack its soil...

...While American leaders mouth platitudes, Palestinian TV broadcast a music video (two days prior to the latest homicide bombings) that reinforced the doctrine that heavenly rewards await all who die for Allah. The video begins with scenes depicting a romance cut short when Israeli soldiers shoot the woman in the back. She immediately goes to heaven, where she joins other young women dressed in identical long white gowns - the "Maidens of Paradise." The maidens are dancing in water, a clear depiction of the afterlife in Islamic tradition. Later in the video, the man attempts to visit the woman's grave and soldiers also shoot him in the back. He is transported to heaven where he is reunited with the woman. See it for yourself at www.isratv.com/video/twolovers128.asx

Who among the believers would trade this promise for three weeks of summer camp and a speech by Colin Powell? That's why the war continues, not because of land, but because of the promise of paradise. What political doctrine can compete with that?