NEW YORK- The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) has condemned the statement by Secretary of State Colin Powell suggesting that Israel’s actions cause Palestinian Arab children to grow up to be terrorists.
Speaking on the ABC News program “This Week” on September 7, 2003, Secretary Powell, who supports American assassinations of Bin Laden terror leaders and aides to Saddam Hussein, condemned Israeli assassinations of Hamas terrorist leaders who have murdered hundreds of Israelis and Americans. He said: “To kill one Hamas leader, but wound 9 children or 10 children in the course of this, who will grow up to become Hamas leaders or Hamas killers later, they have to consider the long-term consequences of this policy.”
Powell’s statement directly contravenes President Bush’s national address on the same day, in which he said: “We have learned that terrorist attacks are not caused by the use of strength. They are invited by the perception of weakness. And the surest way to avoid attacks on our own people is to engage the enemy where he lives and plans.”
ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said:
“President Bush says terrorism is not caused by the use of American strength; Secretary Powell says terrorism is caused by the use of Israeli strength. President Bush says America must fight the terrorists ‘where they live’; Secretary Powell says that Israel must not fight terrorists where they live. These contradictions indicate that the Bush administration has a disturbing double standard when it comes to Israel’s fight against terror.
“It is appalling that Secretary Powell is saying Israel’s actions cause Palestinian Arab children to grow up to be Hamas terrorists. Arab children grow up to be terrorists because the Palestinian Authority’s school system teaches them hatred of Jews and glorification of violence—a school system that Secretary Powell has never demanded be changed. If Secretary Powell wants to prevent Palestinian Arab children from being raised as killers, he should suspend the Bush administration’s $215-million in annual aid to the Palestinian Arabs until the change their schools. America does not refrain from killing Bin Laden leaders for fear that children nearby might be wounded and then grow up to be terrorists. America does not refrain from killing aides to Saddam Hussein because children nearby might be wounded might grow up to be Saddam Hussein supporters. Likewise, Israel should not refrain from killing Hamas mass murderers.”