The use of Palestinian children as bomb-delivery devices came in for some unanticipated criticism when a cameraman for Associated Press Television News captured footage of Hussam Abdo, a very scared and very gullible 16-year-old, surrendering at an Israeli checkpoint.

* The use of Palestinian children as bomb-delivery devices came in for some unanticipated criticism when a cameraman for Associated Press Television News captured footage of Hussam Abdo, a very scared and very gullible 16-year-old, surrendering at an Israeli checkpoint. He revealed 18 pounds of explosives underneath his sweater. The Palestinian public, which has heretofore kept silent even as teenagers blew themselves and innocents up, was stirred to issue a "rare rebuke to militant factions" (as the New York Times delicately put it). No, no, not about the ethics of suicide bombing or the nihilistic destruction of civilians, but the idea of sending kids to do a man's job. Mused Mrs. Abdo, "Maybe if he is 20, then perhaps I could understand," referring to her own son. "At that age they know what they are doing, they are fighting for their homeland." Well, we guess every society has its coming-of-age ritual.