In what is an apparent retaliation of the weekend’s three suicide bombings that left 25 Isrealis dead, the Israeli government declared a “war on terror” Monday and began military retaliation against Palestine, saying Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was directly responsible for the attacks. Israeli helicopter gunships struck security compounds in Gaza City and Israeli F-16s attacked Arafat’s offices in Jenin.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon compared the situation in Israel to the United States’ war on terrorism in Afghanistan, saying that Israel will use all the means at its disposal to battle against terror in Israel.

Israel’s actions and Sharon’s subsequent statements are putting any chance of a near-future peace process at risk in the Middle East. The actions this weekend of the Palestinian suicide bombers were repulsive and should be condemned, and have been, by leaders on both sides. But as the saying goes, violence begets more violence, and Israel’s response will only create more hostility in Palestine.

In order to create a peaceful and stable coexistence in the Middle East, Palestine and Israel must return to the bargaining table. An open dialogue between two sides willing to work and sacrifice for peace is the only way to put an end to the rash of violence by both sides in Israel and Palestine.

Israel will not negotiate with Palestine, saying to do so would be rewarding the terrorist organizations for suicide bombings that have killed Israeli citizens. But as deplorable as those attacks are, opening up negotiations is not rewarding terrorism; it is showing the world that peace is an objective that Israel is willing to work to achieve.

Israel told Arafat and Palestinian leaders to seek out and arrest members of terrorist organizations who are responsible for the terrible weekend attacks. And about 110 members of the Hamas and Islamic Jihad groups, both of whom have claimed responsibility for the attacks, have been rounded up since Sunday. And yet that was not even worth a mention from Israel, instead claiming that Arafat himself is responsible for the terrorism in Israel.

This is not the end of violence, and Israel will not be able to eliminate all the radical extremist terror organizations in Palestine. The Palestinians are a frustrated and occupied people; the only thing that will be accomplished with this unrestrained retaliation is the polarization of opinion in the region against Israel. Fanaticism is born out of frustration and oppression.

What happened this weekend in Israel was indeed an act of terrorism, but Israel must show some restraint in dealing with it. And the American government must encourage it to do so, not giving it the OK to do whatever is necessary to win the new war on terrorism in Israel.

The suicide bombings were wrong; all but the fanatical criminals realize this. And the hardline military strategy of Israel will do nothing but drown out the moderate voices that hold the key to peace in the Middle East.

editorialboard: Andrea Hauser, Tim Paluch, Michelle Kann, Zach Calef, Omar Tesdell