The Middle East continues its descent into violence. The immediate task is ending the bloodshed that has occurred throughout Palestinian territory and restoring order. The question hovering over the carnage is whether the peace process can be resurrected. Nearly 100 people have been killed in a little over two weeks; trust between Palestinians and Israelis must also be counted among the victims.
This bloody spiral began 16 days ago, when Mr. Ariel Sharon, leader of Israel's rightwing Likud Party and a figure hated by Arabs and Palestinians, visited the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The site is sacred to both Muslims and Jews; Mr. Sharon's presence, and his huge contingent of bodyguards, was seen as a provocation by Palestinians who rioted afterward. The violence escalated as Israel brought increasingly heavy force to bear against Palestinians and the death toll mounted. Scenes of children being shot and killed, apparently by Israeli forces, were broadcast on television and further fanned the flames.
Then, last week, two Israeli reservists were killed and mutilated by a Palestinian mob. In response, Israel launched helicopter rocket attacks against Palestinian buildings, including the residential compound of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Many of those scenes were broadcast to the world.