|
Trending Topics
|
Source: http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_context=7&x_issue=2&x_article=2768
Are Israeli Actions in Gaza "Disproportionate"?
(CAMERA) Alex Safian - Myth: Because far more Gaza residents than Israelis have been killed, the Israeli actions are "disproportionate." Fact: In the Pacific Theatre in World War II, over 2.7 million Japanese were killed, including 580,000 civilians, as against 106,000 Americans. Does it follow that Japan was in the right and America was in the wrong? Just having more dead on your side does not make you right. Proportionality in the Law of War has nothing to do with the relative number of casualties on the two sides. If a target has high military value, then it can be attacked even if there will be some civilian casualties in doing so. By this measure, Israel's efforts to destroy missiles before they can be fired at Israeli civilians, even if that places Palestinian civilians at risk, seems to conform perfectly to the Laws of War. There is no requirement that Israel place the lives of its own citizens in danger to protect the lives of Palestinian civilians.