The onus of this catastrophic tragedy would fall squarely on the shoulders of the Lebanese and Palestinian heads of households who refuse to stand up to intransigent terrorists, even at the expense of the loss of loved ones.
But it is a tragedy that can be avoided, albeit not easily. It would require a unified effort on the part of those aforementioned family heads to pressure their Lebanese and Palestinian government leaders to put an end to the incessant suffering via a complete disarming of the terrorists. Such an act of care and concern on the part of Arab parents and guardians would finally permit them to join the civilized world in choosing life over the hope of acquiring 72 heavenly virgins through sickening acts of “martyrdom.”
Many will no doubt find this proposal too radical for their taste. But chaotic situations sometimes call for radical solutions. And the current situation, characterized as it is by seemingly endless bloodshed, is nothing if not chaotic.