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Israel and its supporters, affectionately known as Izziehuggers , bemoan the
loss of lives proclaimed innocent when Israelis die. That is the usual "poor us" self-pity. Like it or not,
international law is on the side of the Palestinians. International law
specifically approves attacking members of a foreign military and the
destruction of military assets.
Attacking members of the foreign military with deadly force is approved by
the Geneva and Hague treaties. These agreements do not distinguish between
on and off duty. They do not distinguish between active duty and reserve.
Israel has universal military service. After all the loopholes and caveats
are considered 25-30% of Israelis are either active duty or reserve
military. All of them are legitimate targets. It would be improbably bad
luck to bomb any gathering of Israelis and not injure or kill at least one
member of the Israeli military. The simple presence of one member of the
military, active or reserve, justifies any and all attacks. Israel uses this
principle when it kills a dozen to get just one so there can be no objection
to it.
In Israel the public transportation system is a military asset. It is used
every day to move troops around the country and back and forth from the
occupied territories. In time of war the entire system is commandeered to
move troops to the front. They are as much a military asset as a Humvee or a
tank or a train in Nazi Germany. Destroying them is not only legitimate but
specifically approved.
In both cases those who might actually qualify as innocent such as children
are considered collateral damage. That makes them unfortunate and unintended
casualties in an otherwise lawful attack. The parents know the danger to
which they expose their children.
The ratio of collateral damage to the intended action is not a consideration
in that deaths and injuries are accepted when destroying military assets
such as buses. As there is no ratio between a bus and a life it is not a
consideration.
Israel recognizes the acceptability of collateral loss of life and limb. It
dropped a one ton bomb into an apartment building at 2am to kill one man. In
the process seventeen others were killed and over a hundred injured. The
Prime Minister personally declared this to be a successful operation.
Israeli crocodile tears over their own dead while they do the same and worse
is simply a propaganda ploy -- one last cynical use for the dead.
Israel does have a way out of this. It can simply stop hiding its military
among civilians. It can prohibit its civilian population from using military
assets such as the bus system. If it were to take those steps it would have
justification to object when civilians are harmed.
Not only is this impractical it is in fact impossible. Ability to comply
with the rules does not change or even mitigate the rules. As long as Israel
hides its military among the civilian population all attacks are lawful.
Not only are they lawful but Israel excuses its killing of civilians with
exactly this argument. It states Palestinian freedom fighters aka terrorists
are hiding among the civilian population. Therefore civilians casualties do
not mitigate its attacks on its enemies.
Reference
Geneva Convention relative to the
Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, Articles 48-78
Paradise Now doesn't go this far and is still condemned. No question why
Zionists have worked so hard to shut down this website.
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