How could I say that a would-be suicide bomber demonstrated incredible moral courage? Because at the last minute she changed her mind, decided she could not and should not go through with it ~ not out of cowardice or fear for her life, but because she finally saw that she would be killing innocents. So she refused, and withstood the harrassment and fury of her handlers who tried to force her to carry out her mission. (The fact that she wound up being arrested makes me wonder whether she was turned over by her former comrades.)

This I got from a fascinating article in Ha'aretz via Kottke.org. It's worth reading not only for the story of the young woman Arin Ahmed, but also for the contrast with another would-be bomber Rasan Stiti, and the conversation between them and Israeli Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer. Ben Eliezer's comments after the interviews are also revealing ~ he understands more than he's willing to attest to.

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