bitterlemons-international.org - Middle East Roundtable

...Assassination in this context is considered a political tool to change an unfavorable strategic situation, usually at a much lower cost than that of military operations. An assassination is a low-cost, high-value political move. Its drawback is that it exaggerates the role of the individual and often ignores the high magnitude of unintended consequences. Khalid Al Islambouli, the assassin of President Anwar Sadat of Egypt in 1981, thought that removing the "pharaoh" would undo Egypt's peace with Israel and restore the glory of Islam. A quarter of a century later, Egypt is still at peace with Israel and the glory of Islam still an unattainable goal. The Israeli assassination of the "engineer" Yahia Ayash in 1996 was intended to end Palestinian resistance to peace with Israel. Instead it opened the gate for more resistance, the end of the peace process and the birth of more Yahia Ayashes....