Retribution in the Israel-Hamas War
foreignpolicy.com
Retribution in the Israel-Hamas War
The doctrine of deterrence has taken a beating. Few doubt that Israel can strike back at Gaza in a very powerful way, and yet that wasn’t enough to stop the attacks. I am still trying to digest this one.
Tyler Cowen • A few implications - Marginal REVOLUTION
sari added
It is not enough to say that Israel retains the right to defend itself and to retaliate against terrorism, because when Israel has done so in the past, it has been condemned by the international community and the United Nations.
Alan Dershowitz • The Case for Israel
Sophie Azout-Faskha added
About the war
an often painful and nearly century-long war* evoked a tradition of profound soul-searching among Israelis about how they could best balance the need to fight for their survival and at the same time maintain the moral standards that they believed were critical to becoming the society they sought to be.
Daniel Gordis • Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn
It’s amazing how perfectly this conflict encapsulates the spiritual deficit of modernity, how every action may only be taken if it is in compliance with the ‘opinion of the world’, and how both sides only exist still because the mustered the support of actual kinetic powers by making those powers feel sorry for them or ethically appeased by helping... See more
phoebe added
Daniel Wentsch added
Moreover, the concept of collective accountability for terrorism that is widely supported by the vast majority of Palestinians and their leadership is entirely consistent with law and morality.
Alan Dershowitz • The Case for Israel
If you are uncomfortable with an operation that precisely targeted a group of jihadists who aspire to commit an actual genocide, just what sort of self-defense on Israel’s part would you support?
Sam Harris • Sometimes, Violence Really Is the Answer
Daniel Wentsch added