The American Spectator

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Protecting Civilians

By Philip Klein on 1.2.09 @ 9:47AM

In an article on another Israeli bombing of more homes of Hamas terrorist leaders, the Jerusalem Post notes:

Palestinians and Israeli defense officials said that prior to the air strikes, the IDF either warned nearby residents by phone or fired a warning missile to reduce civilian casualties. IAF aircraft also dropped leaflets east of Gaza giving a confidential phone number and e-mail address for people to report locations of rocket squads. Residents appeared to ignore the leaflets, stepping over them as they passed by.

How many countries would fight a war against a bitter enemy that is targeting its civilians and go to such lengths to prevent civilian deaths?

Israel is in a difficult position -- as a civilized society always is when fighting a terrorist group. Hamas purposely launches and stores its rockets and hides its leaders in areas where they are surrounded by civilians so as to give pause to Israelis who they know would not indiscriminately carpet bomb Gaza. If Hamas were that concerned with the death of Palestinian civilians, they could make efforts to evacuate civilians to safe areas and separate  themselves from the civilian populations. They could also stop firing rockets into Israel, which only prolongs the bombardment of Gaza. But they won't, and that's why the blood of any Palestinian civilians is on their hands.