Actually, it must take a lot of death before we can have an acknowledgement that there is and has been no "lull" in the terror war against Israel. There have been seven (7) suicide bombings in Israel over the past year. Is that a lull? Is that a truce? Is it acceptable? Is it anything even remotely like "peace?"
The reason the death toll hasn't been higher is accidental good fortune. But it's not for lack of trying. In addition to the seven "successful" suicide bombings, there have been dozens of thwarted attempts. Thwarted, mind you, by the Israeli police and army, and not by the (Israeli- and U.S.-armed) palestinian arab police or security forces.
Today's bomber only managed to kill himself (so far). It appears that he detonated prematurely, thank God, before he could get himself into a good crowd.
Israel's response, of course, will be "restrained." This is easier to justify given the lack of dead Israelis. And we must, at all costs, avoid anything that might undermine Abu Mazen. The same Abu Mazen who today condemned the attack, not for the potential and intended loss of innocent human life, no, but rather as an act of "sabotage" against "Palestinian security."
How many deaths will it take?
