Acts of terrorism bring out the humanity of average citizens as well as the press releases from opportunistic politicians.
A number of Palestinians in Gaza have shared their feelings of sadness with me over the senseless acts of terrorism in Boston. I heard from an employee at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, an employee at the water utility authority, an employee at the university, an engineer, a student studying English and a taxi driver. Each spontaneously offered their sympathy with me as an American visiting their community.
Among the world leaders who expressed their condolences to President Obama were Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Israeli President Peres, and Egyptian President Morsi’s Freedom and Justice Party:
The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) categorically rejects as intolerable the bombings committed in the U.S. city of Boston. The FJP offers heartfelt sympathies and solemn condolences to the American people and the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to the injured.
Islamic Sharia (law), accepted by the FJP as a framework of reference, strongly condemns attacks on civilians and terrorizing innocent people, regardless of their religion, race, color or sex.
The heinous attacks in Boston today highlight the need for the international community to unite in order to achieve justice and a decent life for all peoples and communities to ensure non-recurrence of such violent and tragic crimes.
I read and reread this nonsensical message from the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt who offered his sympathy to the families of the victims, but I still can’t understand the connection he makes with the violence in Syria, Somalia and elsewhere.
The Israel News Agency published this piece “Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah Celebrate Boston Terror Attack” which is just as nonsensical as the tirade from the Muslim Brotherhood.
Jerusalem, Israel — April 15, 2013 … Shortly after terror bombs exploded and murdered over 12 people at the Boston Marathon, members of Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah were reported to be dancing in the streets of Gaza, handing out candies to passerbys.
Now that I have lived in Gaza for nearly five months among Palestinians of all political affiliations, I can confidently say that the Israel News Agency is spewing nonsense that is nothing more than pro-Israel propaganda (hasbara) designed to link terrorism and Palestinians in the minds of Americans and the western audience, and it’s pure crap. Unfortunately, I fear many Americans are gullible.
President Obama makes clear in this video that we don’t know who carried out this “heinous and cowardly act” — whether it was foreign or domestic, an act of a group or an individual.
Terrorists come in all shapes and sizes, every ethnic group, and all political persuasions. But to use the suffering and grief of recent victims of terrorism to further a political agenda, as the Israel News Agency did, is reprehensible.
لماذا غزة؟ Why Gaza? 
There is a devotional connection between Tamerlan Tsarnaev and a HAMAS Lebanese Sheikh who is known to operate a jihad recruiting network out of Australia (although he fled back to Lebanon shortly before the bombing, after one of his devotees, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, published his writings and videos on his website, while planning the Boston Marathon attack.) Australia had been looking to prosecute the Sheikh, Feiz Muhammed, for a long while for “inciting others to engage in Terrorism”.