Why Pacifism – While Laudable – Doesn’t Actually Work

Let's just leave theology out of this at the moment shall we? Oh, pacifism is a great ideal. The problem with it is that the rest of the world seldom cooperates with one's ideas of how the world should work. Case in point: the Palestinians have discovered a new and creative way of whacking one another. This one conserves ammunition.

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – Rival Palestinian forces clashed in Gaza on Sunday, killing two militants by throwing them out of high-rise buildings. Gunmen fired shots at the house of Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas.

There were no immediate reports of casualties in the attack early Monday on Haniyeh's house in the Shati refugee camp next to Gaza City. The attack, apparently by the rival Fatah faction, was the first time in a month of infighting that Haniyeh was targeted.

In an especially grisly incident, Hamas militants kidnapped an officer in a Fatah-linked security force, took him to the roof of a 15-story apartment building and threw him off. Mohammed Sweirki, 25, from the Presidential Guard of President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah, was killed in the plunge.

That set off skirmishes through the city, including gun battles and shelling. Fatah militants surrounded the house of a Hamas mosque preacher and fired rocket-propelled grenades at the four-story building. They then entered, shooting at preacher Mohammed al-Rifati, 40, and taking him away. Later, his body was brought to a hospital. Hamas pledged revenge.

Just before midnight, a Hamas activist was thrown off the 12th floor of a building and killed, security officials said. Four other Hamas men in the building were shot and wounded, bringing the day's toll to three dead and 36 wounded, medical officials said. Also, a Hamas militant wounded on Friday died Sunday.

Palestinian TV reported that Haniyeh called on gunmen to pull back from streets and rooftops to allow about 24,000 Gaza high school students to start their final exams on Monday.

Yep, send those kids out on the street. Mind the falling gunmen. Pacifists like to hold up Gandhi as the example. Yes, he did manage to non-violently end British colonial rule in India. But he did so against a fundamentally decent government, with fundamentally decent people in charge. (And things didn't work out too well for him in the long run, did they?) Do you think that same strategy will work out with a Palestinian gunman determined to hurl another, rival Palestinian gunman out a window? Think those ideals will keep that gunman from throwing you out that window?

Want to bet? Please deposit your money in advance before trying out your theory.

Other Links to this Post

1. The Thunder Run — June 11, 2007 @ 11:16 am

2. Blue Crab Boulevard » The Atrocities Of Hamas — June 13, 2007 @ 6:40 am