AbbaGav

MSNBC reports on another suicide attack against Israel:

A Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up near an Israeli military checkpoint in the northern West Bank on Thursday, killing one Israeli and three Palestinians, military officials said.

The Israeli army said the roadblock had been erected earlier Thursday after it received warnings.

Haaretz has a few more details:

Military sources said they believed the suicide bomber intended to travel via the Qalandia crossing to the Tel Aviv area, where he was to set off the 10 kilograms of explosives he was carrying, probably at one of the many Hanukkah shows scheduled for Thursday.

The bomber wore a belt containing an especially large quantity of explosives. He was riding in a Palestinian taxi when it was stopped for inspection at the impromptu checkpoint, which had been placed about 500 meters from the security fence crossing point at Avneh Hefetz.

When the bomber got out of the taxi and was asked by soldiers to raise his shirt, he detonated the bomb.

Elder of Zion elaborated on some classic examples of Palestinian reaction to suicide attacks:

Deputy Palestinian Prime Minister Nabil Shaath denounced the bombing, and said that it was a particular tragedy that Palestinians had been killed. 'We want such operations stopped,' he said."

"We only want operations that kill Jews exclusively," he added.

Of course, I had a few more reactions of my own:

• We should all watch our official "Cycle of Violence Death Toll" meters for the upcoming bump of three more Palestinians tragically killed by the violence. When you count work accidents, snuffed snitches, Kassam collateral, and even suicide bombers, it's hard not to wonder what exactly is the point of this count? Rest assured, there's a point.
  
• We will probably hear that the bombing was in protest of the cruel checkpoint.
  
• Or perhaps it was pre-emptive revenge for the deaths of the three Palestinians it killed.
  
• We will learn that Israel is liable as the "occupying power" under international law for the full replacement cost of the destroyed Palestinian taxi, restitution for the three Palestinians killed in this Israeli checkpoint attack, plus the cost of one replacement canvas vest -- capacity of at least 10 kilos required. It wouldn't surprise me.
  
• There could easily be a Palestinian complaint against Israeli religious bigotry, asking why no one bothered to hold a crowded Hannukah festival anywhere closer to Tulkarm.
  
• Palestinian spokeswarriors will certainly contend this attack just underscores their oft-repeated warning that intrusive underclothing Israeli security inspections like these inevitably lead to just this kind of desperation and violence.

I'm only back from vacation just these few hours, and already so cynical again. Gosh it's good to be home.