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Arizona State: A War Crime at Qana? by Orde F. Kittrie
The Qana tragedy has intensified accusations that Israel's actions in Lebanon violate international law, but there is no evidence Israel has committed any war crimes. In contrast, Hizballah, Iran and Syria have clearly violated international law in this conflict. At Qana, Israeli aircraft fired toward a building to stop Hizballah from shooting rockets at its cities. The aircraft did not deliberately target civilians; but Hizballah rockets are targeted at civilians, a clear war crime. The writer is professor of international law at Arizona State University. (Wall Street Journal)
Alabama: Hizballah Is the Real Problem by Harrison Diamond, letter to the editor
Hizballah is a cowardice organization. They hide their weapons that have been tearing into Israel's schools, temples and apartments, among their own people. So, when Israel goes after the militants it looks like they are going after innocent civilians and blowing up their homes and places of worship. Israel is not targeting civilians. In an effort to limit innocent civilians from getting hurt, Israel has told the Lebanese people to evacuate and warned them that they would be targeted for holding weapons. Our hearts and prayers should be with the innocent Lebanese and the Israelis who will be casualties of war in this conflict that was started by the evils of terrorism and hate. Hizballah does not care about Lebanon. Israel is justified in fighting this terrorist organization. The writer is president, Alabama Friends of Israel. (Crimson White)
Fordham: U.S. Press Can Learn from Israeli Press by Suzanne Rosenberg
The American press can learn from the puzzling fact that Israel's press, which is in the middle of the muddle, appears to be exercising its rights of self-criticism regarding its own country's actions. This is not surprising when one notes that an openly skeptical press is critical to keeping a public dialogue, and therefore a functioning democracy, going - something which the U.S. wasn't treated to very often during the period prior to, or in the early years, of our own ongoing military adventures in Iraq, and now in regards to the Israel/Hizballah conflict. The author is a political scientist at Marymount College of Fordham University. (Editor & Publisher)
Stanford: Mideast's Creed of Victimization by Victor Davis Hanson
There will be no peace in the general Middle East until Iranians and Arabs have true constitutional government, free institutions, open markets and the rule of law. Without these reforms, they will continue to fail, seeking easy refuge in the shreds of mythical ancestral honor - and in this pathetic neurosis of blaming nearby Israel for the loss of it. (Baltimore Sun)
It's Academic by Ted Lapkin
When it comes to Marxist dogma, queer theory, and yes anti-Zionism, Australian campuses are like most other Western universities, only more so. The ubiquity of Left-wing politics within Australian academia means that the task of writing about campus Israel-phobia requires a solid sense of discrimination. I have thus applied the principles of journalistic triage to this essay, focusing solely on a handful of Australia's most egregious university anti-Zionists. (Australia/Israel Review)
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Alabama: No Easy Answer by Kristen Trotter
I don't claim to have an answer to the dilemma; my experiences in the Middle East have taught me that nothing in that region, especially in Lebanon, is simple. But I can say that waging a war on civilians is not going to solve Israel's problem; it will only make it worse. Another occupation of Lebanon is not the answer, either; Israel's first attempt was the breeding ground for Hizballah. An international peacekeeping force sent to south Lebanon to help disarm Hezbollah and restore power to Lebanon's government would be preferable, but every nation has a convenient excuse to keep its soldiers home. No one wants to be left holding the bag; after Iraq, every nation has an understandable hesitation to commit troops to any Middle Eastern nation. (Crimson White)
Ben-Gurion: Israel Deserves Support and Should be Permitted to Defeat its Enemies by Howard Gerson and Tuvia Blumenthal
While Israel has agreed to an immediate ceasefire once an international force is in place, there will be no robust multinational force enabling the Lebanese government to extend its sovereignty to its border with Israel if that force has to shoot its way into position. That tough job has been left for Israel to do and Israel should be permitted to finish it. Tuvia Blumenthal is Professor Emeritus of Economics. (The Star-Canada)
George Mason & James Madison: No Justice, No Peace? by J. Peter Pham & Michael I. Krauss
The case for prosecuting Hassan Nasrallah as an international criminal is open-and-shut. However, we are not holding our breath for the usual international justice advocates and NGOs to protest audibly - or even to be vexed - when the eventual United Nations-mandated "resolution" does not include any provision for proceedings against Nasrallah. Those who hope for an accounting may have to rely on a more elemental - though no less righteous - justice, such as the targeting mechanism of an Israeli missile system. (TSC Daily)
Virginia: Defending Israel by Daniel Horowitz
What would happen if Israel stopped its attacks on Hizballah? Nothing. We'd go back to the status quo ante and Hizballah would continue to stockpile increasingly deadly weapons for later use against Israel. The United Nations "peacekeeping force" would continue to look the other way while Hizballah attacked Israel. What exactly would a prisoner exchange accomplish? At best, Israel would get its two soldiers back and Hizballah would carry on its business. At worst, Hizballah would be rewarded for its acts of war and terrorism and, as a bonus, obtain the services of a few hundred other killers currently sitting in Israeli jails. (Cavalier Daily)
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