One of the most heartbreaking stories to come out of Gaza during the still-simmering conflict was that of Dr. Ezzeldeen Abu El-Aish.  For those who don't know, Dr. El-Aish is a Palestinian peace advocate, fluent in Hebrew, who received his medical training in Israel.  The doctor studied the effects of war on Gazan and Israeli children and promoted joint projects between the two sides of the conflict.  During the fighting, he served as a regular commentator on Israeli TV on the situation in Gaza.

On January 16, Dr. El-Aish's home in the Jebaliya camp was shelled.  Three of his daughters (ages 22, 15 and 14) and a niece, age 14, were killed.  Two others were badly wounded.  (The doctor had also recently lost his wife to cancer).  Dr. El-Aish's grief was captured in a cellphone call to an Israeli anchorman immediately after the attack.  If you haven't seen the video please take a look.  It is as raw and painful as anything you're likely to see.  The anchor managed to secure an ambulance for the doctor's wounded children who were allowed to cross into Israel and taken by helicopter to Tel Aviv where they are being treated.  In a press conference shortly afterward, he expressed hope that his daughters' death would help bring peace between Israelis and Palestinians.  The press conference turned ugly when the doctor was accosted by a few angry Israelis demanding to know why he had allowed weapons to be stored in his house. 

Dr. El-Aish told reporters he wanted to meet with Defense Minister Ehud Barak.  "I want him to have the courage, to have the concern to meet me to tell me why, without falsification," he told Associated Press Television. "I'll be proud that my children were the symbol of this war - that their blood wasn't futile. That it awakened the concern of some, not the majority, of Israelis."

On Wednesday, the Israeli military confirmed that the girls had been killed by tank fire.  According to the military, the shells were fired because commanders thought there were spotters in the upper floors of the building directing mortar and sniper fire at Israeli troops.  The IDF said the doctor had been contacted previously and urged to evacuate his home because of the intense fighting in the area.  Dr. El-Aish denied that there were any militants in the building and said he never received the pamphlets urging residents to evacuate.

Far more important is the doctor's profound reaction to the unbearable tragedy he suffered.  From Haaretz: 

"First of all, I would like to thank all those who worked, and had the courage and good conscience to shed light on the truth that I always believed. Thank you to everyone who took upon themselves to publicize this truth seeking investigation," Abu al-Aish said in an interview with Channel 2.

The Palestinian doctor went on to say "I have two options - the path of darkness or the path of light. The path of darkness is like choosing all the complications with diseases and depression, but the path of light is to focus on the future and my children. This strengthened my conviction to continue on the same path and not to give up."

No doubt, many have and will seek to exploit this tragedy.  Indeed so many on this site who have lost so much less than Dr. El Aish regularly trade in the vitriol and demonization that is the staple of the poisoned discourse of the Middle East.  The words of this courageous, compassionate and thoroughly decent man stand as a forceful rebuke.  One wishes there were more like him on both sides.      

Haaretz is reporting that Israeli Defense Minister Barak (theirs, not ours) has reached an "agreement" with the settlers occupying Migron, an illegal outpost on Palestinian-owned land in the West Bank to move to another illegal settlement in three years. 

Migron was established in 2002 on private Palestinian land and consists of around 50 families, most living in trailers.  In 2006, in response to a petition by Peace Now, the Israeli Supreme Court ordered that the settlement be removed, but nothing changed while the defense ministry sought extensions to formulate a plan for doing so.  In January 2008, Barak and Olmert told the Court that Migron would be evacuated by August. 

Now, the settlers will be allowed to remain until the new settlement is ready in three years.  The new settlement will consist of 250 houses (with plans for 1400 units) and will be located east of the "separation" wall.  In other words, the residents of the illegal settlement who were directed to leave in 2006, will not be evacuated until at least 2011 while the new, larger illegal outpost housing them is readied.   

This is depressing news even for those who, like me, have withheld judgment of Israel's war in Gaza despite the unbearable carnage and suffering it caused.  Underlying my tepid "support" was the idea that Hamas' rule in Gaza sidelines any prospect of a two-state solution since the movement exists to oppose such a result.  However, even the most ardent supporters of Israel (I'll omit the religious zealots from this group, for obvious reasons) must recognize that the only effective long-term counter to Hamas is a viable alternative to its philosophy of armed resistance.  This means real progress toward a viable Palestinian State and tangible results for the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank that has chosen the path of negotiation.  

The only possible rationale I can see for Barak's move would be cynical posturing in anticipation of the upcoming elections (although I can't imagine him winning many votes among the settlers).  But by refusing to confront its own extremists, Israel sets back the cause of peace, weakens its only viable partner, and provides ammunition to its enemies.     

The mind-bogglingly obtuse action by Israel does provide an opening for Obama/Mitchell to differentiate themselves from the Bush administration and signal a new, more aggressive approach to peacemaking.  They should call Israel out on this, even if only symbolically.  Israelis pay close attention to the words of the American President carefully dissecting every utterance for its implications.  The meaning here should be clear and unambiguous: The settlements must be rolled back.