[Guardian-UK] Oliver Kamm - Israel can't be defeated by Hizballah, but an existential threat to the Jewish state is not the proper measure of a terrorist group's capacities. So long as Hizballah remains in southern Lebanon, Israeli civilians face a continuous threat of rocket attacks or periodic incursions. The aim and effect are comparable to those of the suicide bomber in Israeli towns. Death may strike at any time. No democratic government can long survive, or ought to tolerate, a position in which civilians need reserves of courage merely to live within its boundaries. Western powers have a particular responsibility. UNIFIL must now disarm Hizballah, and be seen to do so. If it does not, then Iran's ambitions in the region, and its transfer of arms, will only burgeon.
2006-08-18 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive