In the bizarre moral universe  that permeates any discussion of Israel one finds that most unmilitary concept —— disproportionate response. THis is nothing more than a declaration that the attacker has the right to call the shots (literally), set the rules and determine the parameters of the conflict.

That pretense was vividly demonstrated last summer when Israel responded to a cross border attack which killed several of its soldiers and the (still) abduction of two more with an invasion. "Disproportionate response" was the self—righteous moaning reply against Israel's supposed attacks against innocent Lebanese civilians; Hezb'allah's deliberate bombings of Israeli homes, farms, and factories was/is at best ignored as are all the other daily bombings in Israel.

But now chilling information is emerging about Hezb'allah's prior planning which deliberately invites civilian casualties. From the Washington Times:

Long before hostilities erupted on July 12, Hezbollah construction teams had gone out and modified numerous Lebanese homes. Sometimes with, but most the time without, the homeowner's permission, workers began adding on a large, single—function room. These rooms were unique for, when completed, they lacked an essential element of all rooms —— a door. Each room was sealed shut —— but only, and immediately, after an object was placed inside.

Often homeowners and neighbors did not know what exactly was entombed within the room as the object's insertion and the subsequent sealing of the room normally took place at night —— with the object always kept under wraps.

The residences Hezbollah selected for these unsolicited "home improvements" were chosen for their proximity to the Israeli border. When the fighting started after Tel Aviv responded militarily to Hezbollah's July cross—border raid, resulting in the deaths of three Israeli soldiers and the capture of two more, the purpose of the covert home improvements became evident to the owners —— though many were destroyed by Israeli air strikes before they could be activated.

When war erupted in southern Lebanon, designated leaders of Hezbollah combat teams received envelopes, each containing an address of one of the modified homes. The team quickly deployed to its assigned location, immediately breaking through an exterior wall of the sealed room. Each envelope contained aiming and firing instructions for the object prepositioned inside the room before it was sealed —— a surface—to—surface missile atop a launcher. After removing part of the room's roof to allow for unobstructed flight and on command, the team was to fire the missile, raining death and destruction down upon Israel's civilian population.

If the Lebanese government can't or won't protect its own people, or even co—operates with those considering them as martyrs for the cause of destroying Israel, then the former is the guilty party who must be condemned.

But alas, bizarre moral equivalency regarding Israel trumps justice every time.

Ethel C. Fenig    10 27 06