The Virtues Of Hamas

David Frum has more on the Palestinian mother of two toddlers who became a suicide bomber on Wednesday:

Last week's speculation about the motives of Hamas' first female suicide-bomber turned out not to be so speculative after all. According to the Israeli newspaper Yediot Ahronot, Reem Al-Reyashi was forced to detonate herself by her family after her husband discovered her in an extramarital affair.

The source he cites is a Jerusalem Post article following up on the attack. I echo Mr. Frum in his comment:

Can we please, please, please now retire the often-heard line that Western societies have something to learn from the simple, heartfelt faith of the Islamic extremists?

I'm flabbergasted at the fact that the woman's relatives are more upset that she is accused of having an extra-marital affair than the fact that she is now dead. They actually rejoice in her death, and the fact that it killed four men (injuring several others). Whatever their religious affiliation, they remain human beings - how can this be their response?

While her relatives do deny coercing and forcing her to commit the bombing, the following must be taken into account when weighing their comments [emphasis added]:

Awad said that he was proud of his wife, who "identified with the suffering of the Palestinians and felt pain when she watched the Zionist occupation crimes and massacres against the Palestinian people." He also described her as a devout Muslim and a good mother.

....................

Another brother, Seif, denied rumors in Gaza City that that the family had "disowned" his sister because she had been unfaithful to her husband. Some journalists in Gaza City said Rayashi and her husband had been involved in a bitter dispute, the nature of which remains unclear. Some of them quoted the husband as saying that he had recently considered divorcing his wife.

This has only cemented in my mind that Hamas is beneath contempt - they are wallowing in evil. It's enough to make one despair of ever attaining peace.
-- posted by Austin @ 1:56 PM (PermaLink/Comment) ¶