School bus bombing should be the limit

Even amid the frequently violent zealotry of the Middle East that by now has

nearly numbed the rest of the world, this was shocking: A bomb attack Monday on

a school bus in the Gaza Strip, killing two Israeli teachers and wounding five

schoolchildren.

It may be too much to hope for, given the mindsets of key

antagonists, but perhaps this sickening display of terrorism can stun Israelis

and Palestinians into the realization that their warring is reaching the level

of self-immolation.

Early reports had Israel authorities pinning the

bombing of the Israeli bus on Palestinians, whose leaders denied any

involvement. Responsibility for the incident is almost secondary, though, since

it is yet another example of the maniacal violence that continues to reign in

the Middle East.

But if there are enough people on both sides of the

dispute who can think rationally enough, the world can have a shred of hope

that they will recoil in horror like other nations have at the news of the

assault on teachers and students when the bomb was exploded mere yards from the

bus.

Predictably and understandably, Israel responded with helicopter

missile attacks on Palestinian sites suspected of being involved in the

bombing. Dozens of Palestinians reportedly were wounded in the retaliation,

which can also be viewed as further escalation that seemingly is reaching the

point of knowing no bounds.

Enough savagery. Israel and Palestine should

seize upon the deaths and injuries of innocent school bus passengers as a sign

once and for all that the fighting has gone too far.