The enemies of Israel denigrate it for defending itself. They do not at all like the fact that the Israel Defense Forces engages in assassinations against the leaders of Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. They vitriolically oppose the fact that the Israeli army blew up electronic pagers, while in the pockets of their enemies, seriously injuring and even killing some.

They are even more opposed to the Jewish state for killing civilians in Gaza, although they were being used as shields, by Hamas’s placement of military hardware in hospitals, schools, and residential areas.

For example, according to Kristian Alexander: “Israel has been criticized by some in the international community, who claim that targeted killings are extrajudicial and therefore violations of international law… Critics argue that targeted killings undermine the rule of law and set a dangerous precedent for state conduct.”

WHO LOST AMERICANS FOR ISRAEL?

Law schmaw, say I. The only alternative to “targeted killings” is mass killings, and those, too, are proscribed by such “international law.”

In the view of the always fair and judicious United Nations: “Israel has perpetrated a concerted policy to destroy Gaza’s healthcare system as part of a broader assault on Gaza, committing war crimes and the crime against humanity of extermination with relentless and deliberate attacks on medical personnel and facilities…”

Yes, Israel has bombed Gazan hospitals. Why? Because these terrorists place rocket launchers and other military hardware therein. And the IDF does so only after sending warning leaflets. How many other armies do anything like that?

Ron Unz is disgusted with Israel for its pager attack on its enemies: “Just a few weeks ago, the Israeli Mossad suddenly detonated thousands of booby-trapped pagers in Lebanon, whose simultaneous explosions killed or severely maimed around 500 civilians, including some children, while wounding many times that number.”

Stipulate, arguendo, that we may rely upon this Hezbollah report about the results of this exploding pager attack: “It wounded more than 3,000 people and killed 12, including two children.”

First, this is collateral damage brought about by this Iranian proxy, not by Israel. Second, these pagers were in the pockets of murderous terrorists — any children nearby were their own fault. Third, do these people not realize that they are in a war that they themselves started on Oct. 7, 2023, a day of infamy? When Mafia gangs fight each other, they have the decency to “go to the mattresses.” Namely, battle in environments free of family members. Not so these monsters.

How, then, should Israel defend itself against its adversaries in their view? Which defenses are left to the only civilized nation in the Middle East?

One possibility is that Israel can hoist its middle finger at its murderous enemies. That’ll show ‘em. Another is name-calling: This country can articulate verbal derision against them and use the F-bomb. This is indeed a powerful tool, since these terrorists are very sensitive. Is that it? Is that all Israel may do in its own defense? Waitasec: Israel is left by these critics with one more arrow in its quiver: A very nasty frown. That ought to make these atrocity mongers sit up and take notice. No, wait, I forgot: Israel can wiggle its ears at the perpetrators of atrocities against it.

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It is interesting to note that no other nation is so transcribed by “expert” opinion. It seems that only the Jewish state may not engage in military defense. It may not do so at the macro level (from the air) nor at the micro level (assassinating individual or small group targets). One can only wonder why. Could antisemitism be at least part of the explanation?

I say to the contrary, right on, Israel. You’re not all that good at wiggling your ears in any case. Every country, including the only Hebrew nation, has the right to military self-defense.

Walter E. Block, Ph.D., is the Harold E. Wirth eminent scholar endowed chair and professor of economics at Loyola University New Orleans.