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Israel Has the Right - and the Duty - to Besiege Gaza

(New York Post) Avi Bell and Erielle Davidson - The sheer evil of Hamas' deeds exceeds what can be conveyed in words. Anything other than an end to Hamas rule will leave Israel's citizens unacceptably exposed to savage criminal activity. Israel's government has a duty to its citizenry to move rapidly and effectively to use every lawful means of warfare to defeat Hamas, deny Hamas territory in which to operate, and kill or capture all Hamas terrorists. Both the Geneva and Hague Conventions include instructions on conducting sieges under international law, recognizing they may be effective tools for bringing a conflict to a rapid and successful end. Sieges are lawful unless deliberately aimed at starving the local population. International pressure demanding Israel provide terrorists with electricity and other goods is absurd and without basis in international law. Israel is not required to fund or assist Hamas' war effort as it attempts to butcher Jews. International law requires that Israel facilitate the passage of food and medicine by third parties, but only if such goods can be reliably delivered without diversion to Hamas. Given Hamas' 16-year exploitation of humanitarian aid and infiltration of human-rights and international organizations in Gaza, diversion is a certainty. Allowing aid to reach Hamas would prolong the conflict, worsen Gaza's physical destruction, and result in greater loss of civilian life. Avi Bell is a professor of law at Bar-Ilan University and the University of San Diego. Erielle Davidson is a senior fellow at the Center for the Middle East and International Law at George Mason Law School.
2023-10-15 00:00:00
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