Israel Vs. Hamas: Who Has The Moral High Ground?

Gaza militants say they will conduct suicide bombings and  “strike at Zionist targets everywhere.”

“We will not rest until we destroy the Zionist entity,” said Hamas leader Fathi Hammad at the funeral of Nizar Rayyan, the cleric who was killed along with his family.

[…]

Hamas spokesman Ismail Rudwan said that “following this crime, all options are now open including martyrdom operations to deter the aggression and to strike Zionist interests everywhere … killing begets killing and destruction begets destruction.”

Nine mosques have been hit since last Saturday.   And the London Times is reporting that Israel is about to launch a ground war.  Yet, Charles Krauthammer says there is moral clarity here, and Israel is acting with the utmost integrity by trying to avoid civilian casualties.

Israel is so scrupulous about civilian life that, risking the element of surprise, it contacts enemy noncombatants in advance to warn them of approaching danger. Hamas, which started this conflict with unrelenting rocket and mortar attacks on unarmed Israelis — 6,464 launched from Gaza in the past three years — deliberately places its weapons in and near the homes of its own people.

Yet, if you read Juan Cole you get quite the opposite view.

Israel hasn’t paid a dime to any of the Palestinian families it expelled in 1948…which is itself a violation of international law.

Meanwhile rocket attacks are being Twittered, and Flickr is home to amateur photographers chronicling the war.  And Israel is using YouTube to bring public opinion in line with its actions with a dedicated channel. 

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.