Can 'sympathy' be selective ?

As the heart wrenching scene of life less bodies of children being taken out of rubbles of Qana, a village in Lebanon, were beamed by television channels, the whole world was outraged. These graphic pictures were too disturbing, and evoked strong sense of compassion and sympathy for the innocent civilians being killed in Lebanon. The basement of the four storey building, where these civilians were taking shelter becomes the unfortunate target of Israeli air attacks. More than 50 souls, mostly woman and children were the innocent victims. World wide condemnation followed, forcing Israel to announce 48 hours cessation of air attacks. Israel expressed deep sorrow for this tragic incident, but nothing seems to be enough.

Sympathy is an emotion that binds the suffering of one person with the society, country and whole world. The genesis of this cognitive feeling lies in the knowledge of the suffering.

I am not trying to rationalize the killing of children. No logic, religion, ideology or country can rationalize it, so I won’t even attempt. My only question is, Why selective sympathy?

What was the fault of the old lady in Haifa, when a Katyusha rocket hit the coffee cup she was holding and killed her?

Why no sympathy for those 19 year old kids, serving in the border outpost of Israel, who were ambushed and killed by Hezbollah? They were like youngsters anywhere in the world, probably thinking of their studies after their military service. Why no sympathy for those two, still in the captivity of brutal 'Hezbollah'?

Just because no images are beamed, no military analyst is covering the incident, no graphic images are displayed, no minute by minute commentary, are their suffering less?

Thousand of people are forced to live in underground bunkers in Northern Israel to save themselves from the barrage of Katyusha rockets. What is their fault?

Who started this conflict?

Israel has released images taken from aircrafts and infrared cameras, showing rockets fired from neighborhoods, where refugees are sheltered. Hezbollah is using civilians as human shields. Now they should share the blame for this civilian tragedy. Sheikh Nasrallah, the coward he is, can shout at the top of his voice from his secret hiding place. Why do not he and his terrorist brethren engage in proper war and not sacrifice these innocent civilians?

No one likes to see those gory pictures every morning, but no one should forget those innocent who are killed everyday in these terrorist attacks. People who would not even seen a gun in their life have their guts and brain splattered, who just try to make their ends meet have their life snatched away.

I am not speaking for Israel, but for these victims. Israel should not stop till every single of these terrorists are removed from the face of the Earth.