Israel must be condemned for being disproportionate

Published in http://www.bangladesh-web.com on July 26, 2006.

I wrote on NFB a few days ago asking through the title of my article when the deliberate targeting of innocent civilians will end. I was referring to the tactics of suicide bombers that Palestinians and members of the Al-Qaeda group had mastered. I must apply the same standard in the current spate of warfare in the Middle East.

Hamas and Hezbollah were indeed responsible for starting the current escalation but Israel's response has been disproportionate and extremely counterproductive. Looking at news reports, it cannot be helped but noticed that in the name of eliminating Hezbollah, Israel is deliberately targeting Lebanese civilians. Israel must be strongly condemned for this. So should the US for tacitly supporting this.

The Middle East is going to be no safer once this escalation dissipates. There have been those like me who have spoken out loud against the deliberate targeting of Israeli civilians by Palestinian suicide bombers. Israeli actions as of late make taking that position that much more difficult. But one must maintain that position at all times and therefore Israel must be strongly condemned without reservation. Not only are innocent Lebanese being targeted, but Lebanon as a country that was slowly picking up after years of civil war, is now being destroyed again.