"No such term as innocents of the enemy"(?)
[I received the following response to one of my postings to a peace discussion list. In the face of such attitudes how can we not call for a cessation of hostilities NOW among the combatants in Lebanon -- in their own interests as well as those of their 'enemies'? Such never ending wars despoil those who choose to wage them. Ed Kent]
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Ed, there is a considerable segment of the Israeli army, probably 50% of high-ranking officers, who believe that in time of war, there is no such thing as enemy non-combatants. In other words, even children become a legitimate war target.
Today, Ynetnews www.Ynetnews.com published the following item: "Yesha Rabbinical council: during time of war, enemy has no innocents"
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3283720,00.html
"The Yesha Rabbinical Council announced in response to an IDF attack in Kfar Qanna that according to Jewish law, during a time of battle and war, there is no such term as innocents of the enemy. All of the discussions on Christian morality are weakening the spirit of the army and the nation and are costing us in the blood of our soldiers and civilians," the statement said.
Now, there are those who would think that these views represent a small portion of the Israeli public. This may be so. But within the army, I have no doubt that this is the prevailing view. Israeli spokespersons are likely to deny this for PR purposes, but if you examine the issue very thoroughly, you will find that most Israeli Israeli army soldiers and officers don't see any wrong in killing children and civilians of the "enemy" in war time. This is by the way compatible with the Jewish law which is based on the Talmud.
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"A war is just if there is no alternative, and the resort to arms is legitimate if they represent your last hope." (Livy cited by Machiavelli)
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Ed Kent 718-951-5324 (voice mail only) [blind copies]
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Israel_Palestine
http://BlogByEdKent.blogspot.com/
http://www.bloggernews.net
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Ed, there is a considerable segment of the Israeli army, probably 50% of high-ranking officers, who believe that in time of war, there is no such thing as enemy non-combatants. In other words, even children become a legitimate war target.
Today, Ynetnews www.Ynetnews.com published the following item: "Yesha Rabbinical council: during time of war, enemy has no innocents"
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3283720,00.html
"The Yesha Rabbinical Council announced in response to an IDF attack in Kfar Qanna that according to Jewish law, during a time of battle and war, there is no such term as innocents of the enemy. All of the discussions on Christian morality are weakening the spirit of the army and the nation and are costing us in the blood of our soldiers and civilians," the statement said.
Now, there are those who would think that these views represent a small portion of the Israeli public. This may be so. But within the army, I have no doubt that this is the prevailing view. Israeli spokespersons are likely to deny this for PR purposes, but if you examine the issue very thoroughly, you will find that most Israeli Israeli army soldiers and officers don't see any wrong in killing children and civilians of the "enemy" in war time. This is by the way compatible with the Jewish law which is based on the Talmud.
--
"A war is just if there is no alternative, and the resort to arms is legitimate if they represent your last hope." (Livy cited by Machiavelli)
--
Ed Kent 718-951-5324 (voice mail only) [blind copies]
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Israel_Palestine
http://BlogByEdKent.blogspot.com/
http://www.bloggernews.net
posted by Ed Kent at 7:07 AM
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