How can anyone defend the appalling use of force by Israel against civilian targets?

Question

We cannot support terrorism, whether state-sponsored or otherwise. But, we also have to understand that violence only begets more violence. Moreover the blockade of Lebanon, bombing of civilian infrastructure and killing of innocents is not justified based on the taking of two hostages by Hezbullah.

i would have them do an exchange .

Answer 1

I can't.

Answer 2

To a point I agree. But Israel is surrounded in enemies and it doesn't look like too much longer before all of those enemies join forces and attack Israel again, and Israel is just trying to defend herself. To end the war before it gets too big to handle. As far as the civilian target thing, unfortunately they have to because that is what their enemies are using as a shield. And if you had to choose between dying yourself or killing the person who is going to kill you (even if it means killing someone innocent), would you not kill the innocent and the person trying to kill you rather than die yourself. Israel is faced with that decision now.

And remember, Israel tried to leave the Gaza strip and their people were attacked first, Israel didn't start this, Palestine did.

Answer 3

Israel is at war and must protect herself. War, unfortunately, requires sometimes that we do the very thing we hate. If Israel must protect itself from the enemy by killing its civilians who will enlist to attack Israel, then it must. I condone giving any country the right to protect itself. If necessary, a nation must kill off all of its enemies to protect itself.

On the religious side, God almost always told Israel to kill off all the people and animals and burn all the belongings of the enemy so that the evil would only be a memory and not tangible. This is the most effective way to win and hold land. The Germans tried to some extent to do it with the Holocaust.

Answer 4

Using force against civilians is the way of life in the Mid-East. Violence against citizens has been the way of life for centuries. These people have strong opposing religious beliefs. These people do not hesitate to kill others, or themselves on behalf of these beliefs. How do you stop a terrorist organization from killing your citizens that has that kind of conviction? Negotiations will not work. Escalating force does not work. What is the answer??? I doubt there is an answer, as there hasn't been a solution that has worked for hundreds of years.
The problem we Americans have is the tendency to compare our beliefs, rights, and liberties with these mid-east countries. We cannot comprehend the level of religious belief and dedication these people possess. We judge, condemn, and pontificate these horrors and justifications when we do not have an inclination of what it's like to live in that environment.

Answer 5

they won't be all Hamas yet, they needless to say elected Hamas. Hamas is an elected government. It initiates unprovoked assaults against Israel it somewhat is now acts of war, no longer terror. That government is likewise appealing in war from interior civilian factors, no longer defense force factors. a contravention of the Geneva convention? Israel is righteously responding to aggressions on its civilians via the elected government, Hamas. Hamas makes use of its own human beings as human shields, and intentionally assaults Israeli electorate, no longer Israeli defense force objectives. yet another violation of the Geneva convention? so a methods as i'm in touch, the Hamas government are no longer in basic terms terrorists, yet now war criminals.

Answer 6

some abide by the rules of engagement, others do not. bombing civilians is a tactic used to break down their will to wage war. we did it in WWII and vietnam as a means to weaken their infrastructure and try to turn the civilians against their own army. didn't work really but that is the essence of doing that. more scare tactic than anything else.

Answer 7

not defending it, but as i recall israel pulled out of gaza and west bank with the stipulation that the palestinians behave themselves or there would be hell to pay. the israeli leader took a lot of heat for that action from his own people. all the palestinians have to do is nothing, and they can't even do that.

israel is just keeping its end of the promise, the others did not. not a defense, just an explanation.

Answer 8

You are correct. The Israelis are bloody-handed murderers. All the Book of Daniel, Revelations and Holocaust Cult equivocation won't change that.

Answer 9

You forgot to mention that Lebanon has fired many rockets to Israel and have killed innocent Israelis.

Answer 10

What Israel does is not terrorism. It responds to attacks by another country.

Answer 11

So it's OK for the Palestinians to go suicide bomb Israel, but it's not OK for them to retaliate??? Wouldn't you want retaliation if someone killed somebody close to you?