Another Deranged Act Must Not Stop the Process

The latest tragedy in the Middle East has left seven Israeli schoolgirls dead and six others wounded on an excursion along the Jordanian border, innocent victims of a conflict in which so many victims have been the young and the defenseless. The most recent previous tragedy came on Jan. 1 in the Palestinian city of Hebron, when a lone Israeli soldier indiscriminately opened fire in the streets, wounding seven Arabs.

Like that soldier, the Jordanian who fired on the schoolgirls is said to be mentally unbalanced. That point is worth underscoring, first because it is a grim reminder of the terrible harm that a single armed person can do, second because it is important, in fact vital, not to infer from a lone deranged act the direction or influence of high officials.

The border shooting comes at a tense and fractious moment in Israel’s relations with Jordan and with the Palestinians. Next week Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government plans to start construction of 6,500 housing units in southeast Jerusalem, a project that will effectively erect a barrier between the largely Arab populated section of the city and nearby Palestinian communities. This is part of Israel’s continuing effort to further cement its sovereignty in the face of Arab demands for a shared role in the city.

The Israeli Cabinet’s decision to begin construction brought a rebuke from Jordan’s King Hussein, Israel’s best friend in the Arab world but also, as he made clear in an angry personal letter to Netanyahu, a man who feels his friendship is being betrayed by heedless Israeli actions. It also brought a rare expression of displeasure from Washington. That displeasure will be given greater emphasis Saturday when the United States, ignoring Israeli protests, attends an international gathering in Gaza called by Yasser Arafat. The Palestinian leader plans to vent his frustrations over the state of negotiations with Israel to American, European Union, Russian, Japanese, Norwegian, Egyptian and Jordanian representatives. He can expect a largely sympathetic hearing.

Soliciting foreign support is, of course, no substitute for the direct talks Palestinians and Israelis both say they remain committed to continuing. It’s imperative now to move on to the next phase of those talks. The American role--and it is one no other country can assume--is to encourage both sides to return promptly to the negotiating table, indeed, to insist upon it. It is important, in fact vital, not to infer from a lone deranged act the direction or influence of high officials.