ISRAEL HAS THE RIGHT TO DEFEND

It is always amazing to me that when Israel is attacked as has happened in the past several days and Israel justifiably defends the nation how quickly the world and the U.N. step forward to condemn Israel. Yet when Israel is continually attacked, her people killed and her country invaded by Hezbollah and Hamas the condemnation is quiet. The Security council has been arguing for weeks just to draft a resolution in response to Iran's nuclear crises and North Korea's missile launches yet yesterday a resolution against Israel took only a few hours and thankfully The United States vetoed it. Let me be blunt and frank. Israel has a moral and legal right to defend herself which is exactly what the nation surrounded by enemies is doing. Any nation in a similar situation would respond exactly as Israel is yet the majority of the world condemns Israel. If any country had fellow countrymen kidnapped by a neighboring country and those same countries were firing hundreds of missiles into civilian population areas there is no question that a stiff and decisive military response would be undertaken and warranted. Additionally Hezbollah and Hamas are elected government parties, (though recognized terrorist organizations), in Lebanon and The Palestinian parliament respectfully. Therefore as government representatives their action in attacking Israel are an act of war and no longer, "just, " terrorist attacks. They are recognized elected entities in recognized governments and therefore an attack by either group against a sovereign nation is legally and morally an act of war and deserves the appropriate response in defense of the attacked nation which is exactly what Israel is doing. Putting this into perspective if one of our border cities was attacked by a governing party in Canada would we as American citizens not expect our President to respond accordingly with a military response to a military attack on our soil ? Why then is Israel held to a different standard ?

News also came out yesterday of the Iranian involvement in the war. Hezbollah who is supported by Iran through arms shipments delivered to Lebanon was reported to have transferred the kidnapped soldiers to Iran. Another report by Israeli intelligence stated that the unexpected missile attack in the port city of Haifa was launched by Iranian troops in Lebanon. Thus it would seem that Iran is backing this attack against Israel though to what extent and for what purpose is not fully known.

It is obvious that this situation will continue as Israel is continuing to be attacked and justifiably attacking to defend herself. If Israel has the opportunity to destroy the capability of both Hamas and Hezbollah to wage war against Israel than as a sovereign nation defending her people and her land then Israel should do so. Both groups even though elected as government representatives are terrorist factions which should be eliminated which would in turn greatly relieve the threat that Israel is continually under from neighboring countries. In defending herself Israel has the right to destroy her enemies to protect her people from those enemies. Every nation on this planet has that right and Israel is no exception.

Ken Taylor