We're all going down together

Israel assassinated top Hamas leader Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi, drawing a threat of 100 revenge attacks from the militant Palestinian group rocked by another major blow before a planned U.S.-backed pullout from Gaza...

Funny how when they attack the US they're "terrorists," but when people using the same tactics attack Israel they're "militants."

"The Palestinian cabinet considers this terrorist Israeli campaign is a direct result of American encouragement and the complete bias of the American administration toward the Israeli government," Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie said.

The United States denied it gave Israel the green light to go after Rantissi and said it was "gravely concerned" for Middle East peace and stability.

Israel said it struck down a "mastermind of terrorism," hours after a suicide bomber blew up at the Erez border crossing in the northern Gaza Strip, killing an Israeli soldier.

Hours after two missiles slammed into Rantissi's car, killing the bearded Egyptian-trained pediatrician and two of his bodyguards, Hamas's armed wing issued a statement vowing "100 retaliations" that will shake "the criminal entity."

"As long as the Palestinian Authority (news - web sites) does not lift a finger and fight terrorism, Israel will continue to have to do so itself," said Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Jonathan Peled.

"Israel has a right to protect its citizens from terrorist attacks, but actions of this type are not only unlawful, they are not conducive to lowering tension," said EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said: "The British government has made it repeatedly clear that so-called 'targeted assassinations' of this kind are unlawful, unjustified and counter-productive."

A State Department official, repeating a formula the United States routinely uses when a Palestinian militant leader is attacked, urged Israel to consider the consequences of its actions, while adding: "Israel has a right to defend itself."

I wonder if they'd feel the same had it been Osama bin Laden who'd been the "victem" of a "targeted assasination"?