A series of unprovoked attacks against Israeli civilians and
soldiers from Lebanon began July 12. They were carried out by
Hezbollah, a Lebanese-based terrorist organization that holds seats
in the country’s parliament and has significant influence
over Lebanese governmental decisions.
By international law, this was an act of aggression, tantamount
to a declaration of war against Israel. It is also a blatant
violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1559, which called for
the disarmament of Hezbollah and the deployment of Lebanese
security forces along the border with Israel. These were the
conditions under which Israel agreed to withdraw from southern
Lebanon in 2000 after similar attacks.
Instead of disarming the terrorist organization and securing a
peaceful border with Israel, the government of Lebanon allowed
Hezbollah to occupy the areas adjacent to the Israeli-Lebanese
border, to accumulate a vast arsenal of 12,000 missiles and
rockets, and to hold seats in the government.
In so doing, the Lebanese government is responsible for the
current crisis and should be held accountable. They continue to
support and legitimize Hezbollah by allowing it to play an active
role in Lebanese politics. And they’re not going to dismantle
themselves, despite calls from the UN and Arab countries such as
Saudi Arabia to disarm the terrorist group.
In accordance with its right to self-defense as granted by the
United Nations charter, Israel has retaliated against Hezbollah and
Lebanon by targeting areas crucial to Hezbollah’s
infrastructure. Israel is restricting its targets to Hezbollah
headquarters, missile-launching positions, arms stores, stationary
and mobile rocket launchers, trucks carrying weapons, and targets
required for the restocking of artillery supplies.
Hezbollah agents intentionally hide themselves and their missile
stockpiles in residential districts to undermine Israel’s
efforts. They often commandeer private residences, using civilians
as a shield against Israeli military strikes. Israel has taken
extreme care to reduce the number of casualties despite this cruel
exploitation of civilians ““ often at the cost of tactical
advantage.
The Israeli air strikes on the Lebanese neighborhoods of Beirut,
Tyre, Sidon, Bint Jbeil and Nabatiya were preceded by the aerial
distribution of fliers warning civilians of an imminent attack and
advising them not to remain near missile launching sites or use
specific areas most heavily used for the launching of rockets into
Israel. Such efforts show the importance Israel places on the
minimization of civilian casualties.
To end this war, the U.S. and the international community must
demand that Hezbollah disarm, renounce terror, and recognize
Israel’s right to exist. It is the Lebanese government that
allowed Hezbollah into power and it is the Lebanese government that
is responsible for reforming them.
The U.S. and the international community must make it clear to
the Lebanese government that it is responsible for
Hezbollah’s actions and that Lebanon must immediately disarm
and dismantle the terrorist organization.
Karlin is a fourth-year Jewish Studies student and vice
president of Bruins for Israel.