It may surprise Americans to know but a large percentage of people being killed in suicide attacks are American citizens. Indymedia relates quite well to Americans killed while fighting for human rights in Palestine, and rightfully so.

Rachel Corrie was one such American, who died in what some say was an accident and others call brutality. What Indymedia fails to often highight about Rachel's death (in an effort to make the Israeli's appear as some type of racist fascist nation- which they are no more so than any other) is that not only was Corrie's murderer an Arab member of said army, but he is standing trial for the killing he claims was accidental. He currently sits under investigation. As the the Arab Israeli shooter of British activist Tom Hurndall. Along with several Jewish Israeli soldiers who have committed similar crimes and mistakes.

What amazes me is that Indymedia has no problem condemning violence on front lines of a war, while in the cities and refugee camps of Palestine, haneous crimes are committed and no one stands trial.

One can argue that the nature of Israeli occupation is such that there is no opportunity and children and young men are forced into terrorism. One can also argue that the twinkie defence is plausable and that Scott Peterson deserves to live.

The deteriorating economic situation in Palestine is a direct result of Israeli sanctions and military occupation yes. But the root causes of this occupation have to do with two things, water rights, and persistent violence against Jews. This week, in the signing of the Omnibus bill, a little known piece of legislature will try to ensure that violence against innocent Americans by Palestinians (heretofore never checked in any way by law or any government) will be reprimanded to the fullest extent.

Kobe Mandell was 13. He was ripped to shreds by a Palestinian mob much like suicide bombs rip his Palestinian boy counterparts to shreds. There is no soldier to account for this. Marwhan Bargouti, a possible future leader of the nation, supports when his people take such actions. Ariel Sharon, bastard that he is, must hold his guns accountable to international law, yet Palestinians have for so long not had that responsability.

The point is, all violence is terrorism. Be you a corporate crook who takes livelihoods, a soldier who kills out of fear or ignorance, or a mob of uprisiers, we will all be taken into account especially for innocent lives we shed. It's time that Indymedia recognised the two sides of this story, the children ripped apart, no matter how.

We cannot win this philosophical battle without seeing the darkness on both ends and shedding light in an objective fashion that does not alienate race or religion but highlights positive alternatives. We cannot place blame on the humiliator, or the humiliated or the rich or the poor. We must, on a global scale, make each individual accountable on every side.

So is this Omnibus addition going to accomplish anything, hardly, except to say that for a long time there has been no one to hold accountable on the side of palestine, there have been no trials of value and not many actually sit in jail having been reprimanded by Palestinian leaders. So if they don't take responsability, perhaps now, here in the U.S., or citzens will be protected by our laws no matter where they choose to visit. This law is for Rachel and Kobe, may no one ever have to die like either one of them again, and may they finally recieve equal justice.