GAZA CITY, July 23: Palestinians expressed anger on Wednesday over the death of Saddam Hussein’s sons Uday and Qusay, accusing the United States of dispensing the same kind of summary justice as meted out by the Israeli army.

“The United States had no right to kill them. One cannot solve Iraq’s political probems by killing its people,” said Ahmed, 54, a retired civil servant in Gaza City who would not give his family name.

“If the British and the Americans had been serious about wanting to help out the Iraqis they would have left a long time ago.

“Instead they occupy Iraq and kill just like the Israeli occupation,” he added angrily.

Lubna, 60, said she was sorry “over the loss of any human life. They have a mother and a father and they must be devastated now.”

“They said on television that Saddam and his sons were criminals but we don’t have any proof. Maybe they should have been arrested instead and properly tried,” she added.

Her 18-year-old daughter Lamia interrupted: “They should have been tried by the Iraqis not by the Americans.

“It’s up to the Iraqis to judge their own people not the Americans. What right did they have to kill in all impunity? They’re just like the Israeli occupiers here!” she added.

But Lubna’s second daughter, Mona, 20, who was also accompanying her to the Gaza City market, disagreed.

“We know from what was reported by the media that Saddam and his sons were criminals,” she said.

“An eye for eye, a tooth for a tooth. They killed so many of their people, they deserved to die. I just wish it was the Iraqis who took their revenge against their former leaders, not the Americans.”

Abu Ali, an unemployed 24-year-old, said he had been “very pained” upon hearing news of the death of Uday and Qusay. —AFP