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Proportionality in the War

[Ha'aretz] Abraham H. Foxman - Israel did not go to war because of the two kidnapped soldiers, though their redemption is and must remain a priority. The war came about because of Israel's need to eliminate the missile attacks on its population in the north and incursions into its territory by Hizballah. Because the international community did nothing about Hizballah's control of southern Lebanon, despite UN Security Council Resolution 1559, the terrorist group accumulated 13,000 rockets, some reportedly with a range of 125 miles. Had Israel not acted when it did, Damascus and Tehran would have undoubtedly elevated the quantity, quality, and range of missiles, with chemically tipped weapons surely part of the future mix. By making it well-nigh impossible for Israel to hit its military infrastructure and arms without harming civilians, Hizballah calculatedly created an impossible dilemma: to avoid imposing civilian casualties in Lebanon by leaving Hizballah missiles intact and leaving Israeli citizens vulnerable, or taking out Hizballah missiles with civilian casualties. Israel observes the first responsibility of a state - to protect its people from outside attack. And, in the process, it tries its best to minimize the damage to the Lebanese. It is Hizballah that is ultimately responsible for what has happened, and it was an illusion to talk about a normal, independent Lebanon as long as a terrorist group, armed to the teeth by two of the most dangerous states on the planet, held sway in the south of the country. The writer is national director of the Anti-Defamation League.
2006-07-28 01:00:00
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