The Other Cycle of Violence

Europeans and the press were quick to see in yesterday's bus bombing in Jerusalem a "cycle of violence," or "spiral of violence" or "cycle of bloodletting." The kindest interpretation of this is that they are saying Palestinian Arab attacks on Israel breed Israeli attacks on the Palestinian Arabs, which breed further Arab attacks on Israel, which breed further Israeli attacks on the Arabs.

But there's another cycle, just as repetitive and just as deadly, that's less remarked upon. In that one, America convenes photo-opportunity handshakes between Israeli leaders and Palestinian Arab front-men. The frontmen are either unwilling or unable to dismantle the terrorist groups operating against Israel. Israelis get murdered by the terrorist groups. In response, Israel takes self-defense measures against the terrorists. America calls for Israel to exercise restraint. Innocent Palestinian Arabs suffer alongside the terrorists. The bloody back-and-forth starts up again, until both sides get tired enough or desperate enough to appear at another photo-opportunity handshake, which sets the whole cycle off again.

There are ways to break this cycle, but they require thinking outside the conventions of the Oslo-Aqaba pattern. The principles President Bush laid out in his June 24, 2002, speech were a good place to start. He called on the Palestinian Arabs "to elect new leaders, leaders not compromised by terror" and to "build a practicing democracy, based on tolerance and liberty." Had Mr. Bush insisted on these principles rather than compromising them by dealing with a longtime Arafat crony, Mahmoud Abbas, and his henchman, Mohamed Dahlan, who are not elected and who are compromised by terror, then perhaps the peacemaking would be off to a more successful start.

Another way to think outside the Oslo-Aqaba pattern is to recognize that there are more parties to this conflict than simply Israel and the Palestinian Arabs. Mr. Bush has already done peace, Israel and America, a great service by driving Saddam Hussein from power. This removes from Israel the threat of Iraqi tanks and Scud missiles. Mr. Bush said on February 26 that "the passing of Saddam Hussein's regime will deprive terrorist networks of a wealthy patron that pays for terrorist training, and offers rewards to families of suicide bombers."

But there's another wealthy regime still supporting terror — the regime at Tehran. The terrorist group Hamas claimed it was guilty of yesterday's suicide bus bombing attack that killed at least 16 in Jerusalem. The State Department's Patterns of Global Terrorism, released in April, reported that Iran provides Hamas "with funding, safe-haven, training, and weapons" and that Iran "encouraged the Palestinian rejectionist groups," of which Hamas is one, "to coordinate their planning and to escalate their terrorist activities against Israel."

As it happens, the people of Iran are on the verge of rebellion against their terrorist regime — only yesterday, police arrested 80 protesters and beat up others who chanted "The clerical regime is nearing its end," the AP reported from Tehran. If Mr. Bush told Congress to pass the Iran Democracy Act supported by Senators Brownback, Kyl, Inouye and Schumer, among others, the president could help speed the Iranian regime's end through a peaceful plebiscite.

Time-honored cycle-of-violence tradition would dictate that Mr. Bush and his state secretary now focus on pressing for another handshake photo opportunity — an "emergency summit" — or for more Israeli concessions. A more strategic approach would be to press for new, free and democratic leadership and institutions at the West Bank, Gaza and Iran. Until such leadership and institutions emerge, there is no one with whom to make peace. Israel and America will, to protect their own citizens, need to keep fighting the war against the terrorists.