A series of unprovoked attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers from Lebanon began July 12. They were carried out by Hezbollah, a Lebanese-based terrorist organization that holds seats in the country’s parliament and has significant influence over Lebanese governmental decisions.
By international law, this was an act of aggression, tantamount to a declaration of war against Israel. It is also a blatant violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1559, which called for the disarmament of Hezbollah and the deployment of Lebanese security forces along the border with Israel. These were the conditions under which Israel agreed to withdraw from southern Lebanon in 2000 after similar attacks.
Instead of disarming the terrorist organization and securing a peaceful border with Israel, the government of Lebanon allowed Hezbollah to occupy the areas adjacent to the Israeli-Lebanese border, to accumulate a vast arsenal of 12,000 missiles and rockets, and to hold seats in the government.
In so doing, the Lebanese government is responsible for the current crisis and should be held accountable. They continue to support and legitimize Hezbollah by allowing it to play an active role in Lebanese politics. And they’re not going to dismantle themselves, despite calls from the UN and Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia to disarm the terrorist group.
In accordance with its right to self-defense as granted by the United Nations charter, Israel has retaliated against Hezbollah and Lebanon by targeting areas crucial to Hezbollah’s infrastructure. Israel is restricting its targets to Hezbollah headquarters, missile-launching positions, arms stores, stationary and mobile rocket launchers, trucks carrying weapons, and targets required for the restocking of artillery supplies.
Hezbollah agents intentionally hide themselves and their missile stockpiles in residential districts to undermine Israel’s efforts. They often commandeer private residences, using civilians as a shield against Israeli military strikes. Israel has taken extreme care to reduce the number of casualties despite this cruel exploitation of civilians – often at the cost of tactical advantage.
The Israeli air strikes on the Lebanese neighborhoods of Beirut, Tyre, Sidon, Bint Jbeil and Nabatiya were preceded by the aerial distribution of fliers warning civilians of an imminent attack and advising them not to remain near missile launching sites or use specific areas most heavily used for the launching of rockets into Israel. Such efforts show the importance Israel places on the minimization of civilian casualties.
To end this war, the U.S. and the international community must demand that Hezbollah disarm, renounce terror, and recognize Israel’s right to exist. It is the Lebanese government that allowed Hezbollah into power and it is the Lebanese government that is responsible for reforming them.
The U.S. and the international community must make it clear to the Lebanese government that it is responsible for Hezbollah’s actions and that Lebanon must immediately disarm and dismantle the terrorist organization.
Karlin is a fourth-year Jewish Studies student and vice president of Bruins for Israel.