Flyer given out on July 28, 2006

WHY ISRAEL IS FORCED TO DO THE DIRTY WORK

Without enforcement, the law is meaningless

Not one day, not one hour goes by without television sets showing the horrible destruction Israel is causing in Lebanon. Yes, this war kills many. Yes, among the dead that number in the hundreds on the Lebanese side, are women and children. And all are "civilians".

But first, one question arises. Hezbollah is a militia, an insurrection army that is waging a war. But, in this type of conflict, the "civilian" is sometimes a militiaman who just put down his rocket-launcher and will pick it up a few hours later. This must be told and must not be forgotten. Just as it must be told and not forgotten that Hezbollah is a cynical organization that feeds on the spirit of hate and revenge each new death brings. That's why this "army" of cowards mingles in the civilian population, encourages teens to become militiamen or suicide bombers, and hides its munitions and arms in family homes and mosques.

One must also remember that the Israeli army warns civilian populations before striking. This of course takes nothing away from the horror of the deaths of innocent women and children. Except that all those politicians and media who denounce Israel's "disproportionate" response are in fact quite happy that Israel is doing the dirty work. Who in Europe just as in the Arab world doesn't want to see the end of Hezbollah, this totalitarian and terrorist organization that yesterday took Lebanon's democracy hostage and today is taking Lebanon's entire population hostage? Yes, the Israeli offensive is killing civilians. But the offensive also suits a lot of people because this is an opportunity to put an end to Hezbollah (at least militarily) and to make Iran understand that some red lines are not to be crossed.

Several years ago, the international community called for Hezbollah to disarm. But Hezbollah refused and has now created a tragedy for Lebanon.

Human nature is such that law without enforcement is meaningless. In our democracies, we need a police force to enforce penal laws. Citizens would not comply voluntarily otherwise. And today, in Lebanon, it's up to Israel to do the dirty work. Today, when the Lebanese government or Europe condemn Israel's "disproportionate" response, they do it in the name of their failures, of their cowardice and of their compromises that have plunged Lebanon in mourning.

From: Claude Moniquet, president of European Strategic Intelligence and Security Center, July 24, 2006.