That may have been a better analogy last year. Today, however, the group directing the attacks from Gaza, Hamas, represents democratically elected government of Palestinian people. At this point, their actions constitute an act of war by a government, just as they would if Action Directe got the majority in French Parliament (or whatever the French governing body is called).
Hezbollah, according to the BBC article I linked to above, "has an important presence in the Lebanese parliament" again making it an official force rather than just a group of outlaws.
LordM wrote:In addition to the fact that Hezbollah is legal and powerful in Lebanon,
Before they started actually killing people, 'Action Directe' was quite accepted by the French government.
But that's not the point.
I was not speaking of Hamas - I know they won the elections, but if I'm not mistaken they also said they were not denying Israel's right to exist anymore - but of Hezbollah, as it's the Israeli attack on Lebanon that I find must be against international law.
The fact that the Lebanese government does not take effective measures against Hezbollah would (in my lay opinion of lawful action) make Lebanon a candidate for some international intervention.
But there is no justification to say that because the government doesn't take measures against the terrorists, the terrorists are acting officially on behalf of the government. This would be a very convenient conclusion, but a legally untenable one, IMO.
ETA: if we want an analogy, maybe one from places that have problems with terrorists would work better?
Would it be acceptable if Spain dropped a few bombs on Bilbao next time the ETA launches a terror attack in Madrid?
What would the international community say if the UK dropped a few bombs on Londonderry next time the IRA plants a bomb in London?
I think that far from expecting unnatural restraint from Israel, the international community is being quite patient, giving heed to the fact that the situation is too complex to make quick judgements, and to the hostility Israel has received from its neighbours.
And by the way, Hobbi, while I know you too well to take offense at the words "foolish" and "mindless," it still might be best to refrain from using them in a discussion that is already fraught with emotion.
Frelga, as you've seen I'd already taken out "mindless" before you posted as I realised that was over the top. However, I'm afraid that I have no other words for actions that perpetuate and foster hatred and violence.
And I have found the discussion here pleasantly unemotional so far.
But I agree those words contain evaluation and therefore might disrupt the level-headedness of this thread, so I'll try not to use them anymore.