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NO MORAL EQUIVALENCY
By Micah Halpern

Tuesday July 25, 2006

Column:

Let's get this clear from the outset. There is no moral equivalency between the war Israel is waging against Hezbollah and the war Hezbollah is waging against Israel. There is no military equivalency between the war Israel is waging against Hezbollah and the war Hezbollah is waging against Israel. None. No equivalency. Not at all.

Now let's put the conflict into perspective.

Israel is defending itself against a militia that is, first and foremost and to the last dying breath of the last dying Hezbollah fighter, dedicated to the destruction of Israel. Yes, Hezbollah would like to become the centerpiece of the Muslim world, but their platform is based upon one single issue - the destruction of the Jewish state, the Jewish nation and the Jewish people.

When Israeli bombs fall they are not simply striking out against an enemy, they are defending the country and the people of Israel against a well trained and sophisticated enemy bent on their destruction. Hezbollah is not interested in conquest. Hezbollah is out to destroy Israel.

Hezbollah has a created a very formidable fighting force. They are a well-trained, sophisticated and disciplined army. On the ground, Hezbollah has the advantage. That is why Hezbollah is trying so hard to pull Israel into an urban war or into the mountains and hills that are home to Hezbollah's fighters. And that is why Israel is fighting so hard not to slip into their trap. Israel is trying to maintain their superiority in the air.

Hezbollah wants this conflict to be a long, drawn out war of attrition which can only happen if the two sides engage on land, not in the air, in hand to hand combat, not through rockets and missiles. Israel wants to cripple, to weaken, Hezbollah. Israel wants to demoralize Hezbollah so that the Lebanese government can bring them under final control. Israel wants to emasculate Hezbollah.

It is all about self-defense. Self-defense suggests much more than protecting yourself, your citizens, your country. The international standard for self-defense does not simply mean that you protect your border and keep up your guard. International law has guidelines allowing for three tiers of actions that are acceptable and appropriate when a nation is forced to defend itself. Protecting your people and your boundaries is one. Striking at the people or group that attacked you is two. Making certain that this scenario will not repeat itself is three.

Self-defense is not wanton warfare and killing. There are many methods of war that a country may not engage in, even in self-defense, because they are either immoral or unjust. International law and philosophy suggest that there is certainly a place for weapons in a counter attack. Pre-emptive strikes are a classic example. When you know that the enemy is about to strike, a country has a moral right to launch a raid to protect its citizens. It is justified. A moral right. To launch a raid. To protect its citizens.

The only caveat is that a nation must try to limit civilian causalities when counter attacking. And how does one evaluate that caveat? By investigating the actions taken during the counter attack.

Let's look at Israel. How is Israel carrying out its counter attacks against the enemy Hezbollah? Israel drops leaflets - in Arabic - to warn civilians that the area will be bombed. Israel bombs weapons caches and transport centers so that more weapons cannot be transported and restocked. And Israel bombs communication networks so that Hezbollah's communications network will be compromised or crippled.

Now, let's look at Hezbollah. Oops, can't find them. Hezbollah is hiding among the civilians.

Even the United Nations, never big supporters of Israel, has had it with Hezbollah's military modus operandi. The UN's chief diplomat, Jan Egeland, UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs used the term "cowardly blending" to describe the actions of Hezbollah. He has accused Hezbollah of "cowardly blending" among Lebanese civilians and causing the death of hundreds. And morally, he is disgusted by the attitude of Hezbollah. "I heard," said Egeland "they were proud because they lost few fighters and that it was the civilians bearing the brunt of this. I don't think anyone should be proud of having many more children and women dead than armed men."

Even the United Nations, consistently calling on Israel to stop hitting civilians, lays the blame directly at the feet of Hezbollah. International law and the Geneva Conventions lay it out pretty clearly. The Conventions say that if an armed force hides among innocent civilians the force is responsible for the deaths of the civilians. This is a prefect parallel with United States law and the crime of felony murder. If, in the course of a crime, someone is killed, the person who committed the crime is responsible for the third person's death and will be prosecuted for murder.

This crisis is not about to simply end, even with diplomatic intervention. More and more people will die. Some will be soldiers, many will be civilian. It will be costly but it is a cost that all free countries must be willing to pay and must act upon with the highest moral standard.

Israel's actions are not just militarily sound, they are morally sound. Hezbollah's actions are not.

4 June 2017 12:14 PM in Columns


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