OPINION & EDITORIAL
Israel deserves support against terror
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- Unprovoked Hezbollah attack leaves Israel behind in PR war (September 4, 2006)
- Israel must not give in to terrorists (October 11, 2002)
- Israel's security measures vital for peace (March 1, 2007)
by Guest Columnist
Monday, September 4, 2006
The U.S. Department of Defense defines terrorism as "the unlawful use of — or threatened use of — force or violence against individuals or property to coerce or intimidate governments or societies, often to achieve political, religious, or ideological objectives." The unprovoked kidnapping of Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah July 12, 2006, was, by these standards, nothing less than a vicious and cowardly act of terror. Unfortunately, the public has blamed both sides for inciting the hostilities, which eventually paved the way for an uneasy cease-fire.
The conflict in the Middle East will undoubtedly be a hot topic on campus this fall. There will be people decrying Israeli terror and supporting the resistance of Hezbollah. This line of thinking could not be further from the truth. Israel's response was justified in defending its soldiers and citizens from further unwarranted and illicit acts of terror.
Let's go back to July 12, 2006. After Hamas kidnapped Israeli Defense Forces soldier Gilead Shalit, fighting broke out in Gaza. At the same time, Israel experienced an incursion and attack by Hezbollah on its northern front, resulting in the loss of three soldiers and the kidnapping of two others. One statement made was that Hezbollah did not cross the border and only attacked IDF soldiers stationed in Lebanon. Israel had withdrawn all soldiers from Lebanon in 2000 in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 425. According to an MSNBC.com article from July 13, 2006, "Hezbollah sparked the current conflict Wednesday with a cross-border raid that captured two of Israel's soldiers." That Hezbollah crossed an international border is indisputable. Those who defend Hezbollah's actions during the conflict may claim that Hezbollah only launched a couple of rockets into Israel. In one day, Hezbollah shot 250 rockets into Israel — some of which were supplied to Hezbollah by Iran. For the duration of the conflict, Hezbollah launched between 100 and 200 rockets into Israel daily, with more than 3,350 hitting civilian targets in Israel.
There were a couple of major differences between Hezbollah's tactics and those of Israel. Hezbollah launched Katyusha rockets at Israeli civilian targets, specifically aiming to kill as many Israeli civilians as possible. The Israeli army, on the other hand, targeted Hezbollah strongholds. This may lead one to question why the number of civilian casualties was so much higher for the Lebanese. The answer is that Hezbollah used humans as shields in order to ensure the maximum number of Lebanese casualties. They blanketed themselves in densely populated areas. This allowed Hezbollah to win the PR war against Israel every time it was attacked by the Israeli army. After a month of rockets over the border and Israeli air strikes and ground forces in Lebanon, a shaky cease-fire agreement was reached.
While the outcome of this ceasefire remains to be seen, there are a few things that are undeniable. This war was one instigated by Hezbollah. It was not over kidnapped soldiers or land disputes. Israel pulled out of Lebanon six years ago. This war was about the basic right of Israel to exist. Through terrorist tactics, Hezbollah succeeded in scaring the world into submission to its goals. It has yet to be disarmed, and it seems that this bothers no one except for Israel. By targeting Israeli civilians, and hiding among the Lebanese population, Hezbollah has succeeded in holding the Lebanese people and government hostage.
MadPAC is the Madison-Israel Public Affairs Committee
Anonymous (September 3, 2006 @ 11:03pm):
Doesn't a guest writer piece need to be submitted by a person, instead of an organization? I've never seen anything like this before.
Anonymous (September 4, 2006 @ 12:02am):
The only viable solution to the Middle-East issue is to disarm Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad. I sure wish the progressive liberals-a contradiction in terms if there ever was one-would consider this idea instead of bashing Israel just because it's the hip thing to do. And I also wish the conservatives would lay off the let-Israelis-have-Iowa solution. No country should have to relenquish its sovereignty so another can have cheap oil, which ain't so cheap anymore.
Anonymous (September 4, 2006 @ 5:12pm):
"Doesn't a guest writer piece need to be submitted by a person, instead of an organization? I've never seen anything like this before."
What difference is it supposed to make?
Anonymous (September 4, 2006 @ 9:23pm):
"The unprovoked kidnapping of Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah"
Actually, Israel was doing cross-border raids initially, before the Hezbollah raids, and that prompted Hezbollah to return the favor in order to free civilians who were captured by Israel on Lebanese soil.
And that's ignoring the goals of the Evangelical right, which is to get the Jews out of America, and also control Jerusalem so that they can destroy centuries-old Muslim holy sites in order to construct a temple so that Christ can return to earth and the apocalypse can begin.
Anonymous (September 5, 2006 @ 8:01am):
"Actually, Israel was doing cross-border raids initially, before the Hezbollah raids, and that prompted Hezbollah to return the favor blah blah blah"
Fayad, are you back again? Go find yourself a nice Jordanian babe and settle down, will ya?
Anonymous (September 5, 2006 @ 8:03am):
"Actually, Israel was doing cross-border raids initially, before the Hezbollah raids..."
Where's the proof? No one has yet to produce any credible evidence that Israeli troops crossed over the Lebanese border prior to the actual conflict.
Anonymous (September 5, 2006 @ 8:57am):
the better question is "why is Hezbollah acting as an agent of Lebanon?" and "why does Lebanon allow Hezbollah to do such a thing?" if Hezbollah is an authorized agent of Lebanon, then they should start adhering to UN rules governing conflicts and war. if not, Lebanon should be thankful that Israel is helping to root out the pests that Hezbollah are.
Anonymous (September 5, 2006 @ 4:59pm):
"And that's ignoring the goals of the Evangelical right, which is to get the Jews out of America, and also control Jerusalem..."
Does anyone from Wisconsin have anything intelligent to say about anything? Up until last year all we heard was anti-Israel crap from the radical left. Now they're anti-Christian. Unless you're a bunch of well-Americanized Muslims idiots who can't get laid.
Anonymous (September 6, 2006 @ 12:59am):
"Does anyone from Wisconsin have anything intelligent to say about anything? Up until last year all we heard was anti-Israel crap from the radical left. Now they're anti-Christian."
It's not anti-Christian or anti-Israel... most of us just don't think that rich anti-Semites should be using the suffering and plight of millions of Jews in order to begin some whacked out biblical prophesy about the end of the world.
