Jan 2, 2009

One That Calls For A Response

By James M. Hutchens

Former Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations, Dore Gold said: The charge that Israel uses disproportionate force keeps resurfacing whenever it has to defend its citizens from non-state terrorist organizations and the rocket attacks they perpetuate. From a purely legal perspective, Israel's current military actions in Gaza are on solid ground. According to international law, Israel is not required to calibrate its use of force precisely according to the size and range of the weaponry used against it (Israel is not expected to make Kassam rockets and lob them back into Gaza). …disproportionality would occur if the military sought to attack even if the value of a target selected was minimal in comparison with the enormous risk of civilian collateral damage. This point was made by Luis Moreno-Orampo, the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, on February 9, 2006, in analyzing the Iraq War. He explained that international humanitarian law and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court "permit belligerents to carry out proportionate attacks against military objectives, even when it is known that some civilian deaths or injuries will occur." The attack becomes a war crime when it is directed against civilians (which is precisely what Hamas does) or when "the incidental civilian injuries would be clearly excessive in relation to the anticipated military advantage." In fact, Israeli legal experts right up the chain of command within the IDF make this calculation before all military operations of this sort.

God says: "I will be an enemy to your enemies and I will oppose those who oppose you."… "All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish…Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am the LORD, your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, 'Do not fear.'" (Exodus 23:22; Isaiah 41:11-13).

The Jerusalem Connection says: Let's never forget, it is Israel's anti-Zionist enemies that predictably cry "disproportionate response" whenever Israel retaliates against the never-ending rocket attacks from Jihadists who want to annihilate them. Regardless of the pressure from world opinion that will inevitably include the United States, Israel must be encouraged to press on to the total defeat and neutralization of Hamas. Important as that is, we are urging all our readers to take note of our stand in support of Israel and to contact President Bush, Secretary of State Rice and your elected congress person and senators. Urge them not to push for a cease fire, but rather that Israel be allowed to terminate the threat of Hamas Jihadists.