The European Union and the Disproportionate Use Of Force

Proportion Or Payment Long Overdue?

by Gerald A. Honigman

In response to Israel's July 2006 pseudo offensive against Arabs who have deliberately lobbed thousands of mortar shells and rockets and have constantly terrorized, kidnapped, murdered, wounded, and maimed Jews since Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza a year earlier, the European Union issued a statement critical of Israel's alleged "disproportionate use of force."

Really?

There are about five million Israeli Jews.

France and Great Britain have roughly the same population--about sixty-one million. Germany has some twenty million more, and there are about forty million Poles.

While not part of Europe, there are about two hundred million Arabs surrounding Israel--smaller than New Jersey--in twenty-one states on over six million square miles of territory...lands (as I always like to remind my readers) mostly conquered and forcibly Arabized from mostly non-Arab peoples.

There are roughly three hundred million folks in the United States of America.

Proportion...

Putting this another way, each time either the Arafatian or Hamasnik variety of Arabs has deliberately blown up five, ten, twenty, or so Jews in restaurants, on buses, and such (as they've done often), multiply the figure by twelve for Brits, sixteen for Germans, sixty for Americans, and so forth to get an idea of the damage done to Israel.

Now also ask yourselves what those countries mentioned above--or any others--would have done if their own populations were terrorized daily, had thousands of mortars and rockets lobbed at their cities causing death, injury, and destruction, and so forth.

In this latest round, Arabs under Hamas' banner kidnapped a young soldier based in Israel proper (not the disputed territories) after killing and wounding a number of his comrades. Other Arabs kidnapped and murdered another Israeli teen about the same time. Imagine what America's response would be to such an attack launched from across one of our own borders.

After months of taking relatively little action to terror, murder, bombardment, and other provocations, Israel finally launched its recent limited invasion of Gaza, deliberately trying to avoid civilian casualties.

Indeed, in contrast to the daily Arab targeting of Israeli civilian centers and populations, Israel has tried to stike out primarily at non-human targets to get its message across--electric utility works, empty fields where Arab rockets have been launched, training facilities, and so forth.

One result of Israel fighting with one hand tied behind its back has been only more Arab bravado.

Despite what the European Union and others claim, Israel has tried to solve the problem as painless as possible to its enemies--those who are sworn to its total destruction. Keep in mind that the Arab Street elected the rejectionist Hamas crew...not that the other folks are really any different on this issue.

So, let's ask the European Union, the Russians, Turks, and other now vocal hypocrites (including those at Foggy Bottom)--they who have killed multitudes when their own security was perceived to be at stake--what any of them would do under the same circumstances Israel has been faced with.

But we don't have to ask. History has indeed recorded their bloody actions time and time again...still going on as this article is being written.

The cold, cruel fact is that this war--and it is war--continues because Israel is not being allowed to win it.

Following the European Union's current demand for "proportion" only perpetuates this confict...and Israel has been doing just this very thing for far too long.

Again, the acts mentioned above are blatant acts of war. And they are committed by those whose openly-stated goal is the utter destruction of their neighbor. No compromise which permits the long term survival of a Jewish Israel--regardless of size--is acceptable to the Arabs Israel is now confronting.

What would the Brits do with such a neighbor? The French? America? Russia?

Who above would consent to self-destruction? Would any of these folks agree to a mere wrist-slapping of those aiming to destroy both themselves and their countries as well?

Look up what the Powell Doctrine--of General/Secretary of State Colin Powell fame--has to say about such things...use of overwhelming force against enemies, and so forth...as just one example.

Israel must strike truly devastating blows to those whose aim is to murder its people and destroy its very microscopic existence.

To Hell with so-called "proportion." Again, such wisdom has indeed only perpetuated this conflict.

Truth be told, and despite the protestations of their many derriere-kissers, Arabs have not yet paid their due price for their repeated barbarism.

Payment long overdue...

Is Israel to sit back and simply wait until scores more of its people are victimized before it acts?

I think not...

But, besides finally dealing appropriately with the Arabs, Israel must also get itself leaders with the backbone to deal effectively with the likes of the hypocritical bigmouths in the European Union and elsewhere as well.

Comment on this article using the "Post Reply" button