The low-grade war between Israel and the Palestinians continues. The number of victims increases every day, but the greatest casualty may be the hopes for any resolution of the violence. Real peace will require some measure of trust and goodwill between the two parties. Both these qualities are practically nonexistent and the little that does exist is eroded every day. It is hard to imagine what could break the cycle of violence; more depressing still is the virtual absence of any effort to find such a solution.
The uprising that began 10 months ago -- triggered by a visit by Mr. Ariel Sharon, then the opposition leader and later elected prime minister, to a holy site in Jerusalem -- has claimed about 680 lives, the overwhelming majority of them Palestinian. Israel has responded to the unrest by escalating its firepower, but that has had no discernible effect other than increasing the number of Palestinians ready to martyr themselves for the cause. In the last week, there have been two suicide bombings, including one in a crowded Jerusalem restaurant that killed 15 people, mostly women and children.
In frustration, Israel has adopted two policies that will only make things worse. The first consists of "pinpoint preventive actions against terrorists," which is another way of saying assassination. Several dozen men on Israel's "most wanted list" have met violent deaths in recent weeks. The Israeli government has taken credit for several of the killings, justifying them by arguing the men were responsible for acts of violence against Israel and that the targeted moves prevent harm to bystanders. The latter may be true, but assassination is a desperate act. Mistakes can be made -- Israel has made them in the past -- and claiming the right to act as judge and executioner will only confirm the Palestinian view that Mr. Sharon will only accept a peace that he imposes.