Through a spinning world

So, since I was already at Reuters, I thought I'd check the headlines, and lo and behold read that the "militant" designation, rather than "terrorist," continues, but with even greater fervor. For instance, the headline reads:

Israeli Forces Kill Five Palestinians

...and the story begins:

Israeli forces killed at least six Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip Wednesday, but both sides drew closer to agreement on an Israeli plan to ease a military clampdown in occupied areas.

Now, when a lot of web sites (such as Yahoo!) picks up Reuters (or AP, or whoever), they often only print the headline and the first paragraph. You have to click the link to read the entire story. So, a quick scan of web "headlines" would read that those vicious bastards, the Israelis, and just killing Palestinians again.

But, ah ha, keep reading:

Israeli undercover soldiers on a "roundup of wanted terrorists" killed four militants and wounded another three in an exchange of fire with gunmen holed up in a building in the West Bank city of Tulkarm, an Israeli military spokesman said.

Well, they don't seem so innocent any more, despite first impressions. Israel calls them "terrorists," so to remain non-judgmental, Reuters re-christens them "militants."

It, of course, gets better:

Palestinian residents said one those killed was a local militant leader.

In the Gaza Strip, an Israeli sniper shot dead Hussam Hamdan, 27, a senior member of the military wing of Hamas, an Islamic group dedicated to Israel's destruction.

"Local militant leader" of a group which, tada, we finally read is "dedicated to Israel's destruction." There, even Reuters said it. Maybe it's time to stop this silly talk about appeasing these people? They don't want peace; they want the end of Israel.

And they broadcast their attitudes and intent:

Senior Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantissi, vowing revenge for Hamdan's death, said Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon should now be killed.

[...]

"I demand and urge the military apparatus of Hamas to target...Sharon personally and to target his house and his son," Rantissi told Reuters.

His son? This is important why? For terror, of course. But these are militants, remember, not terrorists.