| Israeli troops killed six Palestinians in two separate confrontations near the border with the Gaza Strip. The shootings came only hours after senior Israeli security officials said that attacks by Palestinian militants had dropped significantly since Arafat's speech two weeks ago calling for a cessation of violence. "We will pursue the attacks and painful blows against the Zionist enemy occupying our land," activists of the Popular Resistance Committee chanted at the funeral of one of its leaders who was among the six killed. The committee, which includes members of Arafat's Fatah and the Hamas and Islamic Jihad organizations, said Ismael Abu al-Qumsan, its leader in the northern Gaza Strip, and two other gunmen were killed in a shootout with Israeli soldiers. Guess Zinni can unpack. How does Palestine manage to accrue a surplus of young men between 18 and 30 whose primary accomplishments in life appear to be armed and dangerous? Wouldn't it make more sense to have more McDonalds' and Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants, for all the fears of globalization, so there would be more jobs these people are qualified to fill? Then they'd be off the streets. |