I am appalled at the criticism of Israel that is expressed in the Western world over the events of the last few days. They say we over-react, they say we should stop the violence “we started”, and so on.

Given the facts, it’s inconceivable how such opinions can form. How should a country react when it is suddenly attacked by a neighbour country, which kills 4 soldiers and kidnaps 2 ? How would any other country react in such case ? The Lebanese leaders say it’s not Lebanon’s fault, but how can it not be ? Isn’t Lebanon responsible for attacks executed from its territory ? If it isn’t, who is ? According to UN resolution 1559, Lebanon is supposed to have its army on the Israeli border and prevent Hizbullah’s provocations and attacks. Lebanon failed to comply with this resolution, probably because the Hizbullah terrorists have more influence in that country than the goverment. But this can’t be Israel’s problem, can it ? We can’t just sit here, looking at our soldiers being killed and kidnapped, saying to ourselves “oh it’s OK, not Lebanon’s fault”. As the IDF commander noted, “if Lebanon can’t restrain Hizbullah, the IDF will be forced to do that”.

Hizbullah replies with rocket attacks on Israel’s north (which houses hundreds of thousands of citizens), and there’s a feeling of a mini-war, in which both parties exchange blows. But notice one important difference (which is always there in Israeli wars against terror) - Israel attacks military facilities, roads, armament warehouses, strategic targets like radio stations, bridges and the airport. The goal is to weaken it and cease its rocket attacks on the Israeli northern cities.
Many hours before attacking a Hizbullah center located in densely populated district of Beirut, Israel spreads leaflets asking the citizens to leave their homes in order not to be harmed. Hizbullah, on the contrary, aims missiles and rockets to civilian centers, trying to kill as many innocent civilians as possible.

Hizbullah is a terrorist group, recognized as such by the United Nations, and backed up by Iran. They’re good friends with Al Qaeda and the other muslim fundamentalists who direct a war of terrorism on the West in the past few years. Israel is a free, democratic state that tries to protect itself and its citizens, and does its best to avoid civilian losses. Hizbullah began this war, and Israel has every moral right to defend and to react. It is a disgrace that a lot of people in the West take Hizbullah’s side in this conflict.

This entry was posted on Saturday, July 15th, 2006 at 8:26 am and is filed under Israel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.