As the dust settles on the publicity storm triggered by the Dubai assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, a deep feeling of disappointment has descended on the Israeli-Palestinian peace camp. What started as an important public discourse with a potential for real change eventually missed the essential point of the affair.

The international debate over the assassination of Hamas member al-Mabhouh, allegedly carried out by the Mossad, concentrated more on the illegal use of foreign passports than on the illegal taking of a human life. Most critics of the operation seem to ignore the fact that sending trained assassins to a foreign country to strangle a man in his bed is not just a diplomatic incident or a violation of international law, it's cold-blooded murder. Has the world become accustomed to Israel's violations of human rights to the point of acceptance?

Extrajudicial killing of unwanted rivals is a "tool" frequently used by Israel, both in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and abroad. Strangled in their beds, bombed from the air, ambushed in their cars or shot down by snipers, hundreds of "unwanted" Palestinians have died at the hands of the IDF and the secret service, leaving a long trail of blood and grief. Beyond the targets themselves, hundreds of innocent bystanders have died in these operations. The typical profile of the assassination target varies from active terrorist to political leader. The typical profile of the innocent bystander is not an issue for the Israeli security services.

Israel, which frequently accuses its enemies of leading a culture of killing, is a dedicated follower of this fashion. Security officials would have us believe that these killings have actually saved the lives of hundreds of Israelis by preventing terrorist attacks. This argument ignores the aftershock of vengeance that inevitably follows each of these operations, costing many more lives. A critical analysis of this policy shows that in the long run these operations have contributed nothing at all to Israel's security.

The broader picture is that 42 years of living under Israeli occupation has created no shortage of Palestinian men and women willing to kill and die for their people's independence. For every fighter killed two are born. Strategically speaking, these assassinations are futile at best.

Beyond the tactical and strategic side of this practice lies a darker reality. By killing their leaders, Israel is sending a clear message of rejection and contempt to the Palestinians. Israel is saying, and has been saying for decades: we do not negotiate. Israel's assassination policy should be understood as a complement to its politics; its refusal to arrive at a compromise with its neighbours is the real story behind the extrajudicial killings.

Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister who allegedly authorised the Dubai assassination, was also responsible for another Mossad fiasco. In 1997 he ordered the assassination of the Hamas operative Khaled Mashaal in Jordan. The operation failed. Today Mashaal is head of the Hamas politburo and, according to some, a pragmatist. There's a lesson to be learned from this: yesterday's terrorist may be tomorrow's political partner.

Perhaps the most effective way to deal with Hamas is to bargain with its leaders rather than to assassinate them. If the barbaric culture of killing is abandoned and replaced with a truthful attempt to reach an agreement with our neighbours, perhaps today's threats can become tomorrow's hopes.

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