'Normal life' escapes Palestinian militant

Posted: Friday, March 21, 2008 3:02 PM

By Lawahez Jabari, NBC News Producer

BETHLEHEM, West Bank – Ahmed Balboul hoped that renewed peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians might save his life. But as a senior figure in Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, a violent militia affiliated with Fatah, Balboul had a number on his head – he had been wanted by the Israelis since 2000 because they believe he was responsible for the deaths of Israeli citizens.

In one of his last interviews with NBC News, Balboul disavowed violence and expressed his support for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. "I want to live a normal life. I am not hiding anymore. We will give a chance for peace," he said to NBC News this past December.

VIDEO: Ahmed Balboul welcomed visitors to Bethlehem and shared his hopes for Mideast peace in a Dec. 24, 2007 interview.

Despite his support for the peace process and his hopes for an amnesty agreement with the Israelis, Balboul’s number came up. On March 12, he and three other Palestinian militants were shot and killed while riding in a car in the West Bank city of Bethlehem.

According to Palestinian security officials, the others killed include the commander of Islamic Jihad in the Bethlehem area, Mohammed Shehadeh, and two others who were also members of Islamic Jihad.

According to the Israeli Army, the border police force identified a number of armed Palestinians inside a car and opened fire. Many human rights groups have called the killings "extra-judicial" because there were no arrests or trial. The Israeli Army said that three rifles were found in the car, and that all four had been involved in attacks against Israeli civilians.

The Israeli raid on the Palestinian militants came at an embarrassing time for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the head of Fatah, who has been trying to tighten his grip on the security situation in the West Bank by getting a number of Palestinian militants off of Israel’s wanted list and enrolled in the local security forces.

According to Palestinian security officials, 418 gunmen from Fatah’s Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade have received amnesty from Israel and an additional 230 are going through the amnesty process in the West Bank. Palestinians say that the four militants who were killed had been hoping to be included in that amnesty agreement with Israel, but Israel had refused their requests.

Israel strongly defended the killings as a legitimate response to terrorist acts. "Yesterday, in Bethlehem, we again proved that the state of Israel will continue to hunt and to strike any murderer who has Jewish blood on his hands," said Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak. "It is unimportant how much time has elapsed. Israel’s long arm will reach him."

Israel’s defense was little comfort to the thousands of Palestinians who gathered to attend prayers and funerals for the four militants last week.

Sana, Balboul’s wife, said that he had expressed hope about the future and the potential for peace between the Israelis and Palestinians, even saying to her recently, "One day we will go to Jericho," referring to the West Bank city currently occupied by the Israelis.

Instead, he is yet another casualty in the ongoing conflict, leaving behind Sana, three children, but still no peace.

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Comments

Let your actions speak louder than your words...stop riding in cars with other terrorists.

John Doe (Sent Friday, March 21, 2008 5:50 PM)

He disavowed violence, but he was killed while riding in car with "the commander of Islamic Jihad in the Bethlehem area, Mohammed Shehadeh, and two others who were also members of Islamic Jihad." That makes sense.

Joseph Sixpack, Washington DC (Sent Friday, March 21, 2008 6:41 PM)

Life's tough. You play, you pay. Just because you feel that you don't want to kill anymore doesn't mean you are let off for what you did. This guy killed innocent people for many years. Aside from that, it's a real problem that the Palestinians are notorious for saying one thing in English to the press and something totally different to the Arab press, and yet another thing to their mates. Who knows if he really meant it?

John Toradze, SF CA (Sent Friday, March 21, 2008 6:45 PM)

What goes around, comes around. They were terrorists. Since it was not practicable to deliver them to justice, the justice was delivered to them instead.

Anonymous, My Town, NJ (Sent Friday, March 21, 2008 7:51 PM)

It is too bad, but it is a case of choosing the wrong people to be friends with.

When you are in bad company, bad things often happen. It is a lesson seldom learned in time. Even over here with our own youth. And sadly, even our own adults.

Wise men have spoken to the issue, I was just reading last week on avoiding bad company, but wise men seldom have much influence any more. Those who do not learn from History are condemned to repeat it.

Looey Munn Roundup, MT (Sent Friday, March 21, 2008 8:14 PM)

pleeez! Why is a man trying to prove that he has changed his ways riding in a car with the head of the local Islamic Jihad and two other militants? He's either lying or awfully dumb!

k. noble lombard, il (Sent Friday, March 21, 2008 8:27 PM)

The "Devils Crew" got exactly what they deserved. Dispatched to the pits of hell. Justice served. God bless the people of Israel.

Steve Dearing (Sent Friday, March 21, 2008 8:28 PM)

More leftist dribble,pleading the case of the poor put upon Palistinians,(who,by the way have been kicked out of every country in the middle east ,for their criminal,thuggish lifestyle.) Eventually,they like all other terrorists will pay for the hell that they have brought on themselves and the whole world.What kind of human being trains their offspring from the age of toddlers to become suicide bombers? All the aid money sent to them from around the world goes into weapons. How about feeding and educating your children? How about planting gardens? Maybe raising food,building factories (other than bomb factories?)But for some morbid reason, the leftist press,and our Militant Muslim leaders give them a pass. Quite the quandry isn't it?

Paul Bakersfield,California (Sent Friday, March 21, 2008 11:01 PM)

Jericho is not occupied by Israel, it is controlled by the Palestinian Authority. Get your facts straight before reporting this rubbish

Aviv Benedix (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 12:39 AM)

Imagine what the worldwide reaction if four Israeli agents were killed in such a manner. I grieve, for the wife, the children, and our indifference. The roots of terror celebrate.

Susan Stephens Seattle,WA (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 12:40 AM)

There will be no peace until both sides accept the prince of peace, The Lord Jesus Christ, then and only then will there be peace.

James B Dickinson (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 2:25 AM)

I compare this to "what would America do if we had a chance to kill Ben Lauden or any highups in thrie terrorist organizations! If I were an Israeli citizen I would expect my government to continue these actions until attacks STOPPED completely! How long have WE as a country, looked for Nazi criminals from WWII? There is no "statute of limitations" on murder!

Good job Israel!

Barry Wood Saginaw, Mn. (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 3:48 AM)

You choose the wrong friends, you often pay the price.

Unfortunate but true.

Looey Munn Roundup, MT (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 5:38 AM)

Aww, the poor guy was killed by the evil Israeli military while driving around with his wanted terrorist buddies looking for a school bus or hospital to blow up. He was just about to change his ways and embrace a peaceful lifestyle. I guess he was hitching a ride to "Terrorists Anonymous" with the guys from Islamic Jihad.

Hamed Ali Muhammed Hezbutt (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 5:49 AM)

Let me take a minute to dry my tears at the loss of this guy.
The time to think about being bitten by a dog is not after you already kicked it. I do not have an ounce of sympathy for any of these people. They made their bed and now they can sleep on it. It doesn't take a lot of sense to figure out that if I kill one Israeli then I have directly through my actions caused the death of 10 of my own people and maybe myself.
Here you have an entire population of people who think this is a bargain, and to make matters worse there is a whole slew of other nations telling them what a great thing they are doing.
Until the Palistinian people put an end to their endless, futile attempts to "scare" the Israelis into submission, and start trying a little harder to emulate the sucessful methods of people like MLK and Ghandi, then they deserve whatever unpleasentries befall them.
What kind of people get on the television or in the newspaper and start complaining about how bad life is, and how difficult it is to raise their 10 children in such conditions but are unwilling to accept the facts that have been staring them in the face for over 50 years and get on with life. I guess it's the old saying " You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink".
Honestly I would like to see the Jewish nation sit down with the palistinians and tell them that they are done with all this foolishness and to either start playing nice or suffer the consequences .
And the palistinian leadership needs to have the courage to stand up and say loudly to their people " Enough is enough" , we will not sacrifice 1 more person for a cause that is going nowhere, we will not live in an enviroment that does not promote healthy happy children. We will not live in a world dominated with hate and revenge. We will not make heroes out of people who explode bombs strapped to their bodies.
We will make each day better than the day before.
We will give our children a better life than we had.
We will reject hate and embrace hope. And most importantly, we will make the state of palistine an example of harmony, peace and goodwill for the world to see and admire.

ronnieray, tampa (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 6:58 AM)

Those who live by the gun (especially by shedding innocent blood), shall die by the gun. This story should be read by most of the advocates of violence, to understand that a decision made to kill the innocent, is a deal with the devil to surrender you life, no matter what your second thoughts are later. Those innocent folks that have lost their lives do not have a chance for a second thought.

Larez, Lagos, Nigeria (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 7:28 AM)

I wonder how many articles Lawahez Jabari (NBC News Producer) has written on the innocently targeted Israelis. Israel doesn't plan attacks while hiding behind it's women and children like the ALL Arabic terrorist groups do. Ahmed Balboul's feigned words of peace are unbelievable. I'm glad they killed him.

John Pottorff, Argyle, TX USA (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 7:47 AM)

Bottom Line: Israel took out a murdering terrorist. That he had a family and could mouth words of peace is irrelevant. Kudos to Israel and may we in the US learn a lesson from this.

Ansar El Ahmin (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 8:30 AM)

if you play with fire you might get burned if you kill people you might get killed and if you love someone you might get loved but you cant love your wife and hate your niehbor too.

mick medford oregon (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 9:52 AM)

Israel = #1 Terrorist

ron (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 10:08 AM)

So because this terrorist supposedly had a change of heart (in spite of the fact he was riding around, armed, with other known terrorists) I'm supposed to feel bad that the Israelis couldn't forgive him for the mass murder of their civilians? The whole perspective of this article is ridiculous. He chose to leave behind Sana and his three children long before he was killed. He bore the consequences of his own miserable choice - he lived "by the sword"; he died "by the sword."

Phil G., Detroit, MI (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 10:12 AM)

Lets see - he had Jewish blood on his hands - the defense minister has Palestinian blood on his. The circle of killing continues.....

Jerry Bridgewater, MA (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 10:33 AM)

He has spent his entire adult life figuring out ways to kill israeli civilians and we are now supposed to feel sorry for this murderer. A change of heart? I doubt it. More likely an opportunity to get off the hunted list and then to continue working on ways to kill Israelis. Words were all he had to give the impression of change whereas his previous actions spoke volumes of his beliefs. Self preservation would appear to have been the goal until another opportunity came along.,

buzz Mackay- british columbia (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 10:52 AM)

Good riddance to a piece of scum! When people resort to violence in order to achieve a "Moral" gain they deserve to receive the same pain that they inflict upon other people. Especially when so many innocent people who are just living their daily life, before they are killed or injured in an act of "Terreroism"

J.R., Leon Gto Mx (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 11:21 AM)

Clearly this struggle has gone on for decades. At his point neither side can state they are right. The British Manadate 99% of the land to the Arabs and 1% to the Jews. Clearly the Arabs got the most. Arab government have the Jewish State as a scapegoat inorder to redirect the anger and frustration of a generally large, disenfranchised and poor population on someone else otherthan them. Recently, Israel lost the moral highground it once held by becoming their enemy and acting as the terrorist do. In that sence the Arabs have won. Making the only democracy in the middle east look like them and confirming the emnity they have been selling. But again what choice does
israel have. I am not sure but sponsired terrorism may not be the best in the long run. In wars at some point everyone puts down their weapons and go home no matter who is at fault.

Tom (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 11:30 AM)

It's like someone sitting in prison on death row waiting for a pardon. Ain't gonna happen!

As soon as Arafat's calls for violence and death ended, peaceful coexistence again became a real possibility.

Bill Webb, Phoenix, AZ (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 12:06 PM)

You know what the funny thing is? Somebody wants peace, but it's not the-so-called "chosen People".

Roy, Nashville, TN (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 12:39 PM)

So long as the state of Isreal maintains and carry's out killing's in a tough quis pro quo they will never reallize a true effort by ANYONE to carry forth the peace process. These type's of activity not only violate their own faith but the faith and trust of theiw own allies and serve to bolster their enemy's worldwide. Here was a man that was coming to the correct conclusion, you cannot kill and main on the one hand and cry foul when you suffer the same in return. Shame on them. Just the thought's of a citisizen of the USA and former Vietnam era Vet.

Robert Forpeace (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 1:52 PM)

I cannot believe that we accept Israel's assinations, yet scream terrorism when the the Palestinians fight Israeli soldiers, who have no qualms about murdering even Palestinian children. There is more than one kind of terrorist at work here.

Marguerite, NYC (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 2:08 PM)

this is bullshit the jews need to stop killing the Palestinians. it pisses me off how , every time they kill somebody the say that it was justified. Yet, if one jew get killed, all hell is let lose. thsi is bullshit. the jews need to get the hell out of Palestine/

dan schuleman, brooklyn, ny (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 2:17 PM)

This is another example of Israeli cowardice in their barbaric ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians.

Jeff Fagenhas (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 2:19 PM)

Oh, the poor militant who couldn't get a 'normal life' after killing innocent Israelis. He said he was sorry and wanted peace, so we should now all give him a big hug and say what a great guy he is? How do you explain the inconvenient detail that he was driving in a car with members of Islamic Jihad (dedicated to the destruction of Israel) with a mini-arsenal. While you are at it, any other terrorists you want to write glowing obituaries for?

Ben, San Francisco, CA (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 2:59 PM)

My Dad once told me this story:

He was a fairly small man, but had been a boxer in the Army at one time. At the place where he worked, a huge man took a dislike to him. He told him time and time again that the time would come when he would, "Kick his A__ !".
Finally Dad fot tired of the threats. One day there were a lot of guys from the job sitting around shooting the bull and the big guy once again made his threat...
Dad stood up and said, "Alright, today's the day. We're going to have it out right now. But you're a lot bigger than I am. I don't want to get seriously hurt. I want you to say in front of all these guys that when I say, "Alright, I've had enough !", that'll you'll stop right there and not throw another punch, okay?" The guy agreed. They squared off and Dad hit him right in the nose with everything he had, breaking it, and then backed away, threw up his hands and said, "Alright, I've had enough!"
You might draw a parallel between THAT story and the one at hand... Kill people on the other side and then act penitent ? Actions HAVE consequences...

Rick, Seattle, WA. (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 3:59 PM)

Another terrorist gets what they deserved.

Rob Seattle WA (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 4:02 PM)

I find it beyond sad that this war, all about who has the upper hand at any given point in time, has degenerated to the degree that the U.S. supported Israeli forces have now seen fit to utilize terrorist tactics to slaughter people in the street, no trial, no jury, no opportunity to offer a word in their own defense. The Israeli border police "... identified a number of armed Palestinians inside a car and opened fire." Disregarding the possibility that their identifications might be erroneous, or their might be some innocent person in the vehicle, the police opened fire and mercilessly murdered everyone in the vehicle. They cry for vindication by arguing that there were weapons in the vehicle, therefore they were justifide. That argument, quite frankly, reeks of something putrid. They did not know if there were weapons in the vehicle when they opened fire and yet cannot confirm that the men in the car intended to use those weapons for similarly terroristic purposes. Perhaps they were taking then to the government to turn them in as a part of their entreaty for amnesty from the Israeli government.

I do not know the guilt or innocence of the four men killed in this assault. What I do know is that both sides of this senseless war are wrong. Neither side is willing to talk about peace unless they are in the defeated position. If they hold the position of power, they seem to forget the meaning of the word peace. This war has been going on for seventy years in its most recent incarnation and for centuries before that. When will it end?

When both sides acknowledge that they don't own the land. Its use is a gift from their creator. And whether they call the almighty Allah, Jehovah, Yahweh, or God, that Supreme Being is one and the same. They have a duty to that almighty creator to try to emulate the behavior and teachings of His prophets by giving from their hearts, accepting that both nations have equal rights to use - and share - the land of the almighty, and share that land in peace as brothers as Allah, Yahweh, God intended.

TRG, Jeffersonville, Indiana (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 4:14 PM)

pray that these people learn to live. this means that the others be allowed to live, also. is this too much to ask? we won't be visiting there, until they do.

tom hackett burlington vt (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 4:24 PM)

If the Palestinians renounced violence, then enforced it on the radicals (a difficult, maybe impossible task), they would accomplish much more than they have in the past 40 years.

Jerry Buckley (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 4:28 PM)

Good riddance to bad people. Israel took more terrorists out of the picture. The liberals need to stop trying to sympathize with cold blooded terrorists

Rudy, Houston TX (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 4:34 PM)

It is no surprise that the israelis killed one more man who wanted peace,(Ahmed Balboul)because they are up to no peace.They want to take over all land around them.So, as long as they have the back up of the anglo-saxon world they won't stop, even if the Palestinians all die or surrender and give them the little bit of land they have left.After that they will go for Lebanon.Reason why they never stop building in occupied lands.And keep on bombing in times of truce.Wrong?Will see.

M.Sutherland (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 5:33 PM)

He wanted peace, yet was traveling armed with armed members of Islamic Jihad? Am I dense, or do his words not match his actions?

Confused, Somewhere, USA (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 5:42 PM)

It's heartening to hear somebody like Balboul turn away from violence, even though it didn't save his life. Both sides of the conflict need to abandon violence as a means to further their goals, and realize that they're all human beings, with the same flaws, but the same hopes as well.

Aaron, Albuquerque (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 5:56 PM)

live by the sword die by the sword,find no peace on this earth.

t.k. , portland,or (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 6:04 PM)

this man who had changed his ways riding around with armed gunmen. I guess his ways hadn'changed all that much.

ken (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 6:17 PM)

Good for Israel,you do not get to kill people and ask for forgiveness when your number is up.A murderer needs to be exeuted when and where they can be found.

KJ (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 6:20 PM)

So this poor terrorist gave up violence by associating with the Bethlehem commander of Islamic Jihad and two other terrorists?

"418 gunmen from Fatah’s Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade have received amnesty from Israel and an additional 230 are going through the amnesty process in the West Bank."

Does Israel only give amnesty to violent terrorists so they can focus on killing peace activists or do reporters just blindly take a terrorist's word that he or she is now reformed?

My sympathies to Ahmed Balboul's family, but this man is not a peace activist. He was only saavy with the media.

Freedom Now (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 6:36 PM)

GOOD FOR THE JEWISH PEOPLE

JOHN DOE (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 6:40 PM)

live by the sword, die by the sword

doko (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 6:58 PM)

You're breaking my heart. Why don't you give some of the details of the HORRORS against civilians that HE was involved in.

Dan Liebert Elizabethtown, IL (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 7:01 PM)

"Yesterday, in Bethlehem, we again proved that the state of Israel will continue to hunt and to strike any murderer who has Jewish blood on his hands,"
Hmmmm....yup, I guess jewish blod is all that matters to the state of israel...but then, why do they expect others to think any differently? This deep seated hypocrisy that pervades the entire jewish nation today is far more odious and condemnable than any crime, real or perceived committed against it.

jason falls (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 7:16 PM)

One more murdering, hate-monger off the streets forever. Praise Allah.

Jow Luk (Sent Saturday, March 22, 2008 7:17 PM)

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