(Newsweek) Geoffrey S. Corn and Rachel E. Vanlandingham - Hamas is illegally and indiscriminately firing Iranian-provided rockets at Israeli civilian centers. The attacks Israel has endured are different in intensity and sophistication than past attacks. Israel would be well within its rights under international law if it chose to conduct a broader military campaign to eliminate Hamas' capability to perpetuate this threat. What right does Israel have to respond to this threat, and what measures are justified in response? The answer is clear: Israel has the same right that every sovereign nation has to defend itself from unlawful attacks. Hamas' rocket barrage is a blatant act of unlawful aggression. International law does not restrict Israel to a mere tit-for-tat response. Lt.-Col. (ret.) Geoffrey S. Corn is Professor of National Security Law at South Texas College of Law in Houston. Lt.-Col. (ret.) Rachel E. VanLandingham, a former Judge Advocate in the U.S. Air Force, is Professor of Law at Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles.
2021-05-20 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive