Little did George Khoury realize that he was not coming back to his room to finish the work he left at his desk. He gave specific instructions that no one is to touch his papers, or his computer. He always seemed to be at a race with time for fear of not having enough time to do whatever he wanted to do. Very tragically time won the race when George did his last jog at the French Hill in Jerusalem, and left so much undone.

Rima Khoury was looking forward to celebrate Mothers’ Day with her children. A dedicated young mother who never contemplated working outside the home because she strongly felt that motherhood was a career in itself. Bringing up David, George and Aline was a full time job for her. Mothers’ day will never be the same for Rima.

It will always be a memorial for that special day “celebrated” ironically at the cemetery. Thousands of people gathered from Jerusalem, and the Galilee to pay tribute to George who fell victim of the Israeli Palestinian struggle.

Truly the Israeli occupation has left no room for hope anymore. This brutal occupation continues to dehumanize both Israelis and Palestinians. It is breeding a desperate generation of young Palestinians who have nothing more to lose, after having been dispossessed of their land, their identity, and their dignity. So it is not surprising that those young men will continue to struggle by all means to make Israel get a taste of the suffering that is being inflicted daily without any mercy upon the Palestinian population.

Yet it is very difficult to justify such a killing. Why a single individual? Why a university student? And why in a public place where Israelis and Palestinians in this paradoxical land could easily be using the same path. Unfortunately it was a Palestinian family that got the taste of suffering.

The apology that appeared in the local papers will not bring life to George or return him to his parents. So unless this apology means a change of strategy in the resistance movement, then the apology is meaningless, and George will neither be the first nor the last victim of such sporadic futile acts. Even if the killers thought that George was an Israeli, shooting haphazardly at an individual, whoever he may be, is not going to change the course of the political scene. On the contrary such shootings are most irresponsible.

If such actions are performed by activists who are planning to liberate the land, then for sure it would be a tragedy if they are unable to resort to a more fruitful strategy. Whether through armed struggle or non violent resistance, the strategy should focus properly and act responsibly in order to achieve the goal of liberation. Otherwise the mistakes will be endless, and the hurt will be more when Palestinians end up shooting Palestinians.

P.S. Just as I was ready to send this, hell broke loose with the assassination of Sheikh Yassin. I am sure there will be no room for any strategy other than revenge, more provocation and more suffering. Please help us end this brutal occupation

Samia Khoury, a Christian Palestinian, is president of Rawdat El-Zuhur, a coeducational elementary school for the lower-income community in East Jerusalem, and treasurer of the board of Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center.