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Defining Victory for Israel

[Washington Post] Michael Gerson - There is no question - none - that Israel's attack on Hamas in Gaza is justified. No nation can tolerate a portion of its people living in the conditions of the London Blitz - sleeping in bomb shelters and separated from death only by the randomness of a Kassam missile's flight. And no group aspiring to nationhood, such as Hamas, can be exempt from the rules of morality and civilization, which forbid routine murder attempts against your neighbors. Israel's response has been criticized as "disproportionate," which betrays a misunderstanding of proportion's meaning. The goal of military action, when unavoidable, is not to take one life in exchange for each one unjustly taken; this is mere vengeance. The goal is to remove the conditions that lead to conflict and the taking of life. So far, Israel's actions have been proportionate to this objective. The Israeli public will not accept any further risks for peace as long as Hamas missiles fly. Those missiles are a daily symbol that Israeli territorial concessions result in the strengthening of committed enemies and the death of Israeli citizens. The removal of this threat is not an obstacle to the peace process. It is the prerequisite for the resumption of the peace process. America, in turn, faces a test of its moral judgment. This conflict is not a contest between shades of gray. It is a matter of distinguishing between murderers and victims - and of supporting an ally until a clear victory against terrorism is achieved.
2009-01-02 06:00:00
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