Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, severed limbs for severed limbs and other lethal exchanges of body parts too grim to be enumerated. That was the deadly symmetry, once again, behind yesterday's revenge killing of Hamas leader Abu Shanab, by which Israel sought to settle its blood debt — or perhaps just exacted the first instalment — for the massacre of 20 Israeli civilians in Tuesday's bus blast. Never mind that it led so quickly and predictably to a declaration by Hamas and Islamic Jihad that the three month ceasefire was at an end. Israeli officials had already disavowed the ceasefire, arguing that the suicide bombing changed "the rules of the game" and that the ceasefire was dead. No one should be surprised either that the target of the Israeli attack was a relative moderate who played an active role in negotiating the ceasefire. ("If the occupation stops," Abu Shanab had said, shortly before it was declared, "I think Palestinians are willing to live in peace and stop all kinds of violence.") An Israeli spokesman merely argued that there was a direct link between Abu Shanab and "the terrorists on the ground". Never mind too that the Palestinian Authority seemed at last to be edging towards a commitment to dismantle the armed wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Predictably, that planned crackdown is also now on hold and the tenuous grip of prime minister Mahmoud Abbas is thus further weakened.

Cause and effect in this vicious slugging match are now too inextricably mixed to be easily disentangled, and the protagonists themselves seem quite incapable of doing so. While Israel claims that terrorist attacks have continued to be planned since the ceasefire began, the militant groups can point to the evidence of Israeli targeted killings which have also continued. What is beyond doubt is that the current "game" has been played under the same mutually destructive rules over and again for the past three years. More than 650 Israelis, mostly civilians and including nearly 100 children, have been killed in terrorist attacks. More than 2,000 Palestinians, mostly unarmed and including some 380 children, have been killed by the Israeli army. It is a game in which there are absolutely no winners.

Neither side is entitled to use the others' violence as an alibi for its own, but Israel, with the preponderance of power, is better placed to reflect on the folly, even in narrow terms of self-interest, of perpetuating this vicious cycle. The "targeted killings" of Palestinian militants — and innocent passers-by — were described as exceptional two years ago: now they have become routine. Instead of deterring Palestinian terrorism they have encouraged it to the point where even many Israelis believe that it is being done by their government to sabotage the peace process.

Targeted killings are also in breach of the obligations to which Israel is still bound as the occupying power in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The Geneva conventions clearly state that civilians shall be protected "unless and for such time as they take direct part in hostilities" (against citizens of the occupying power). Israeli leaders say from time to time they would be only too willing to end the occupation and see a Palestinian state emerge — if the terrorists would allow them to do so. There is a way out of this presumed dilemma: just start doing it now — and yes, that will mean dismantling the settlements which are also illegal. Only then can there be peace, but it will be a prize well worth the exercise of restraint instead of vengeance.

RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Palestinian boys chased a limping ostrich through a Gaza refugee camp Thursday after an Israeli raid spelled disaster for a zoo that was a rare amusement spot for local children. The Israeli army, which uprooted over 1,000 Rafah residents by demolishing homes in a hunt for Palestinian militants, denied flattening the zoo and suggested its creatures had escaped because they were not being cared for. Whatever happened, Palestinian boys made the best of the situation. Spotting the ostrich on the loose, they gave chase, grabbed the bewildered, mangy-looking African bird and trotted through the streets with it, laughing heartily. The zoo site was in a neighborhood sealed off by Israeli troops. Residents said it had been a tiny, spartan affair hosting two ostriches, an array of colorful parrots and other exotic birds, some snakes, one monkey — and a pony painted with black stripes to make it look like a zebra. Some 250 families in the camp — erected in 1949 for Palestinians uprooted by Israel's independence war — found themselves homeless again and were housed by U.N. relief workers in dingy school classrooms and rows of tents. The house demolitions were nothing new in the conflict between Israel and Palestinians who launched an uprising in occupied territories three and a half years ago. But the zoo was something special for Rafah's deprived youngsters. Its demise rubbed salt in the wounds of the community as the death toll from the raid rose to 40, several of them children in a protest march that came under tank fire. "Rafah's zoo was the only place of entertainment for kids here. It's a shame they destroyed it, but no surprise. Those who killed the children can also kill their fun," said Ahmed Hussein, a taxi driver who used to take families to the zoo. An Israeli army spokesman denied that troops had destroyed the zoo. "It was a very small petting zoo close to a school and the animals just escaped somehow.   We didn't hurt them." The fate of the second ostrich, the monkey and pony was unknown. But children said they saw some of the parrots flying over the neighborhood, in addition to the wandering ostrich. "The demolished houses made me angry when I heard about it on the news, but the zoo was the only place where I could go with my friends to play and watch these strange animals," said Mohammed, a 12-year-old running after the ostrich.

The Israeli army probably took about 10 minutes to turn it into a wasteland, with tanks churning the whole area into an expanse of mud and twisted metal. There were ostriches, kangaroos and crocodiles, but the zoo's pride was its jaguar — he is missing now. An ostrich is rotting in the rubble and its stench hangs over the ruins. Mohamed Jumaa and his brother, Fateh, spent more than 10 years building the Rafah zoo. The Jumaa brothers say that their zoo was important, it was somewhere for children to go in what is the most deprived corner of the Gaza Strip. Kids came in their hundreds, and they loved it. One of the kangaroos was hurt when the tanks came but survived, and the other is on the loose somewhere in Rafah. So are all the monkeys and one of the pythons. The fox got away, but when he turned up in a private house the frightened owner attacked him with a saw — later, the vet had to amputate a leg. When the aviary was smashed, the parrots, cockatiels and lovebirds took flight. Far up the Gaza Strip, people say they've been hearing strange birdsong.

Some 850 demonstrators, who came from all over the country in 15 full buses and a fleet of private cars, demonstrated Friday near the Gaza Strip and tried to march on Rafah.    They were stopped by the Border Police and a number of violent confrontations ensued.    Five demonstrators were arrested. The demonstration was called by "Gush Shalom",   "The Committee against House Demolitions",   "The Campus is not Silent",   "Pilots Refuse",   "Yesh Gvul",   "The Forum of Refusers' Parents",   "The Women's Coalition for Peace" and "Ta'ayush for Arab-Israel Partnership", which was responsible for the organization of the action. The demonstrators announced in advance that they were going to the Sufa checkpoint near Rafah, but changed course and stopped near the Kissufim checkpoint, surprising the police and the army.    They reached the checkpoint on foot, marching for four kilometers in the blazing sun. For an hour, they listened to the shocking testimonies of the Israeli reporter Amira Hass and the chief of the local hospital in Rafah, conveyed by telephone, and to the words of a British woman whose son was shot dead by the Israeli army. Then they broke through the police line and started to march in the direction of Rafah.     However, they were stopped by the Border Police. A series of violent confrontation occurred. There were also several confrontations with settlers. The demonstrators shouted: "Refuse! Refuse!",   "Soldier, Listen — You Can Refuse!",   "All the Ministers are War Criminals!",   "Mofaz, Minister of Defense — How Many Children Did You Kill Today?"    One of the buses carried a big slogan:   "Soldiers, Get Out!    Don't Take Part in War Crimes!"

Several Palestinians were injured, some seriously, when Israeli troops opened fire on a Palestinian funeral in Rafah today. 23 year-old Ziad Alwan was shot in the eye, and is now in hospital in a serious condition.    Several other mourners also required medical attention. An estimated 50,000 Palestinians had attended the funeral for 17 citizens of Rafah killed in the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood during the Israeli invasion of the area.    Some of those being buried had been killed at the beginning of the invasion a week ago and preserved in fridges used for storing vegetables because the hospital and morgue had no room for the bodies. The residents of Tel al-Sultan took the opportunity to bury their dead after the Israeli army moved to the outskirts of the area.    The bodies were taken to a local mosque and after prayers were moved to the al-Shuhada cemetery in the al-Salam district of Rafah. Israeli soldiers watching the funeral then fired on the mourners. kewe note:   This is all paid for by US taxpayer money.See below:   The death of Peace Activist Tom Hurndall — He was just shooting at children to amuse himself.