Two Views of Murdered Peaceworker

August 12th, 2006 12:35 PM

Angelo Frammartino came to Israel to help with a camp for Palestinian children and got a knife in the back instead. Wire service and Italian news accounts depict an idealistic young pacifist, martyred in the cause of peace. United Press International reports:

JERUSALEM, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- An Italian law student, visiting Israel to help with a camp for Palestinian children, was stabbed to death in Jerusalem in what police call a terror attack.

And, in Ansa.it, Frammartino is eulogized:

"In a world with hate running through it, a voice that firmly believed in dialogue and solidarity has been silenced," Marrazzo added. "We want to use his own words to talk about him: Make love with non-violence to give birth to peace from the womb of society'," de Palma said .

But Australian blogger Israelly Cool discovered some more details about Frammartino's pacifist philosophy. From ynet News [emphasis added]:

In a letter sent a few months ago to a local newspaper, Angelo expressed his world view: "We must recognize that in [sic] a situation with no violence is a luxury in many parts of the world, but we are not seeking to prevent legitimate self defense operations. I never dreamt of condemning the resistance, the blood of the Vietnamese, the blood of nations under colonial occupation, or the blood of Palestinian youths from the first intifada," he said.

Aussie Dave at Israelly Cool asks the question: "I wonder if Frammartino would consider his knifing a terror attack or legitimate self-defense operation, had he survived."

A little cold perhaps, but not nearly so cold as a knife in the back.