Palestinian Terror Tot / Israelis outraged by pic of suicide bomber baby

New York Daily News ^ | 6/29/02 | CORKY SIEMASZKO

[kattracks]

Hear the one about the baby suicide bomber?

All of Israel did yesterday, when a photograph of a Palestinian toddler suited up with red headband and sticks of ersatz explosives was splashed across the front pages on the nation's newspapers.

The unidentified tot's uncle insisted the costume was just a joke.

"The photograph was taken some time ago at a party when someone dressed up the cutest baby as a suicide bomber," the uncle said in an interview with Britain's Sky News. "What's all the fuss about?"

The Israelis said that if this was meant to be a joke — it bombed.

"What is obvious is that Palestinians are feeding the hatred of Jews and Israelis to their children at the earliest possible age," said David Baker, an aide to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Army Col. Miri Eisin said the picture is proof that Palestinian society is sick. "The idea that they can educate to such a thing is just part of the ongoing deterioration," she said.

Eisen said soldiers found the photo in a family album Tuesday during a search of a wanted Hamas militant's home in Hebron. She did not identify the militant or the blue-eyed boy, who appears to be between 12 and 18 months old.

But Israelis were outraged by the picture that the Maariv newspaper printed under the headline: "Terror in Diapers."

The daily Yedioth Ahronoth called it a "hair-raising costume," and the Jerusalem Post ran it with the headline: "Born to kill." Palestinian officials dismissed the photo as "cheap Israeli propaganda."

"They are using this photo to justify Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people and to go on with their occupation of the Palestinian territories," Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo said.

'Inevitable Outcome'

Palestinian Labor Minister Ghassan Khatib said he opposes suicide bombings but insisted they are "an unfortunate but inevitable outcome of the Israeli atrocities."

"It doesn't surprise me," Khatib said of the baby bomber photo. "I know exactly the mentality of the Palestinian people, and I know exactly the way they think."

Recent polls show that more than 60% of Palestinians support the so-called martyr missions. And more and more children have been dressing up in bomber gear at school ceremonies and rallies.

A Palestinian journalist in Hebron expressed surprise at the furor the photograph has caused in Israel.

"I can find you many, many photos like this," she told the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz. "Many kids imitate adults and wear toy masks and guns, especially during marches. It's not strange at all."

[kattracks]

"I can find you many, many photos like this," she told the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz. "Many kids imitate adults and wear toy masks and guns, especially during marches. It's not strange at all."

Sure, lots of "toddlers" in diapers, who can't dress themselves, do this.

[john in missouri]

"They are using this photo to justify Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people and to go on with their occupation of the Palestinian territories," Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo said.

I am so sick of these @$&(@*#*s.

[upchuck]

For those of you who haven't seen this... here ya go, courtesy of Neal Boortz.

Some joke, huh?