The US Has Dropped The Ball On The 2003 Murder Of Three Americans In Gaza

Rick Richman of Jewish Current Issues has an article in The New York Sun about his unsuccessful efforts during the past year to obtain information from the State Department about the murder of 3 Americans in Gaza in 2003:

On October 15, 2003, three vans made their way into Gaza, carrying United States diplomats and security specialists to interview Palestinian candidates for Fulbright scholarships in America.

Two miles into the district, an explosive device planted under the road was remotely detonated, destroying the vehicle carrying the security specialists. John Branchizio, Mark Parsons, and John Linde died instantly.

The investigation into their murder come to a halt, despite the fact that no only is there ample reason to believe that the attack itself was not arbitrary:

The circumstances of the attack made clear it was a direct challenge to America's vetoes and pro-Israel stances. If doubt obtained, a day after the attack a "Palestinian government official" told the Washington Post that had Americans been targeted "it would not be coincidental" that it came a day after the American veto and after other American statements in support of Israel.

but also in spite of Condoleeza Rice's statement in February 2005 that she had

"been assured by President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority's intention to bring justice to those who murdered three American personnel in the Gaza in 2003"

Apparently the US is as sanguine as Israel when it comes to Abbas' consistent failure when it comes to promises to reign in his terrorists.

Richman concludes:

It has been more than four years since Americans on State Department business were murdered in Gaza; more than three years since Musa Arafat said the PA knew who organized it; and nearly three years since Mr. Abbas assured Secretary Rice that the killers would be brought to justice. In response to that broken promise, the State Department appears to have done nothing.

On the contrary, American aid to Palestinians increased — with another half a billion dollars on tap. Dismantlement of terrorist groups and infrastructure — the explicit precondition to final status negotiations under the "Performance-Based Roadmap" — was waived to "accelerate" Phase III. After four years, the conclusion seems obvious: the Palestinians got away with murder.

Needless to say, this is not the first time.

Read the whole thing.

Technorati Tag: John Branchizio and Mark Parsons and John Linde.