The israeli govt official website at
 http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/home.asp
has published a graphic video of the aftermath of todays suicide bombing, which shows two bodies lying prone on the ground, several identifiable body parts, and some horrific flayed flesh still in the bus.

In addition, the availability of this video has been flagged to newsmedia round the world, and is now dominating this morning's radio news (eg bbc) together with the message that the apartheid wall is justified by such acts, and in particular that the International Court of Justice should be pressured not to continue with its hearing on the legality of this wall.

As the govt site says:
"Israelis started their morning today having to face shocking pictures of dead commuters - victims of a yet another suicide bomber.
The anti-terrorist fence could have prevented this massacre.
The sheer absurdity cannot be ignored. While Palestinian terrorists continue to murder Israelis, the pro-Arab majority at the UN is forcing Israel into the dock at the International Court of Justice over the fence. Thus, the supporters of terrorism condemn the victims of terrorism for simply trying to protect themselves.
All those who criticize Israel for building the fence should take a good look at this morning's pictures from Jerusalem ."

These images are terrible to see, and my heart goes out to the relatives of the victims.

But, when propagandists seek to deflect us from logic by emotion, we must maintain a cool sense of proportion. thus:

1. Palestinian deaths at the hands of the IDF far exceed Israeli.
2. Pictures just as horrific could be shown of the victims of IDF bombs, missiles and shells. Have been shown, I believe, on Al Jazeerha.
3. The US, UK and Israel have acquiesced in the thesis that the deaths of innocent civilians are justified in a "good cause". Evidence the nearly 10,000 civilian deaths in Iraq. And the 500,000 Iraqi CHILDREN which Allbright admitted (on camera) had been killed by sanctions, but which she thought on balance was "worth it".
4. To the palestinians, they believe the establishment of their own independent state and freedom is just another such a good cause, and they are killing far, far fewer innocents by comparison.
5. History almost always forgives atrocities in the cause of seeking free nationhood, as it seems to have forgiven the jewish activists who committed extensive acts of "terror" to establish Israel.
6. Many of the 10,000 civilians who died in Iraq died in explosive violence - perhaps 6,000 of them? They could have supplied pictures of flayed flesh and body parts beside which the Israeli horrors would quantitavely not even be noticed.
7. In a suicide bombing most victims die instantly, unaware of what is happening, whilst out and about, away from home, usually in daylight, exercising their freedom of choice and going about their free lives. Even their presence in Israel is not compulsory unless constrained by poverty, as they are free to leave Israel until the conflict is over if they so prefer.
8. In contrast, the blown up palestinians mostly die trapped in their homes, often at night. After living in fear of the aircraft endlessly patrolling over their homes. After having the safety of their homes repeatedly violated. Even if the curfew is not active, their every movement will have been constrained by endless checkpoints involving repeated humiliations etc etc - we know it - we needn't go on. Of course, these palestinians are also totally trapped. They have no option to leave, no option often even to get the the hospital, school, clinic, or next village. They are exercising none of the Israeli's free choices at all.
9. It is not totally morally irrelevant , too, that even the guilty suicide bomber does nothing to his victim that he is not willing to suffer himself. What guilty Israeli pilot would volunteer to cower in his bed at night as the lethal armaments manoeuvre at will over the heads of his wife and children, immobilised by curfew, terrified, powerless, humiliated hour after hour, night after night ?.
10. Similarly, the blown-up Iraqi's had no legal, or even viable, option to leave their country to avoid the rain of liberating explosives. Many died in terror, cowering amongst the cacophony of falling weaponry, expecting death at any moment. We saw the pictures - heard the enthusiastic commentaries.

If my phrasing of some of the above shows where my sympathies lie, that is hard completely to avoid. But the statements themselves are I think factually true, and taken one-by-one would I think be hard to dispute even for an ardent zionist (except perhaps 4).

Put together the conclusion is inescapable. The emotive power of these newly-published images must not obscure the fact that they tell us nothing new. They need to be seen in context of the far greater numbers of other unphotographed deaths of equal horror.

They add absolutely nothing to the question of which side is more blameworthy, or whether the wall is justified. Their value as proof that the palestinians are uniquely, or even more, guilty, is nil. All other parties are equally guilty, equally willing to justify their own atrocities.

The wall is not a neutral, symmetrical device, giving protection to both sides. To the Israeli airforce it is no more than a shadow far below - and the Israeli army has the keys to all the gates. The Israeli govt decides how much land it will annex.

Let's let the International Court form a view. Maybe the Israelis do indeed have reason to worry about the outcome - then so be it.