GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - Palestinian gunmen abducted a Spanish aid worker in the Gaza Strip on Monday, the latest in a wave of kidnappings of foreigners, Palestinian security officials and colleagues of the man said.The hostage was identified by colleagues as Roberto Vila, a 34-year-old aid worker with the Cooperation Assembly for Peace, a Spanish charity group.
| Roberto prob'ly thought he was safe since he was a proper, peace-loving, leftist dhimmi. |
Palestinian security officials said they were searching for a yellow Skoda.
Ghazi Hamad, spokesman for the Hamas-led Palestinian government, condemned the kidnapping, saying it hurts the Palestinian image abroad.
WouldnÂ’t want to tarnish that stellar international reputation.
"I think these people are thieves. They are not nationalists. They are just looking for personal profits, cheap profits, and we have to work against it," Hamad said.
Translation: Kidnapping and extortion is acceptable but only when it's carried out by "nationalists" and preferably those from HAMAS.
Tawfiq Abu Khoussa, spokesman for the rival Fatah party, called for the immediate release of Vila. "The protection of our foreigner friends is a collective responsibility for all Palestinians," he said.
Translation: Fatah considers matters of "responsibility" best left to others.
| I'm surprised his tongue didn't roll back into his throat when he tried to pronounce 'responsibility'. |