Assassinated or executed?
Depending on your perspective the deaths of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran and Hezbollah senior commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut were either rightful, lawful executions of justice to terrorists, or extralegal assassinations of terrorists not afforded judicial rights.
Absent an effective international judicial system to process mass murderers of Jews and other civilians, Israel has committed resources to exacting justice, most often death, to the perpetrators. It has been Israeli policy at least as far back as the Munich Olympics in 1972 when Palestinian Black September terrorists killed 11 Israeli athletes and coaches.
Israel ordered the Mossad to execute senior Black September and Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) leaders. It called the response “Operation Wrath of God.” Over seven years more than a dozen targets were eliminated.
Some news media labeled them assassinations. Others called them justified targeted executions. The same could be said for the deaths of Haniyeh and Shukr.
In truth, the takeouts were not unlike what the United States did with Osama bin Laden, Hamza bin Laden, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Ayman al-Zawahiri and Qasem Soleimani. They were not going to be arrested. No court was going to try these terrorists. Precise military action was required to administer justice.
As a nation we have been traumatized by assassinations—even attempted assassinations—of presidents, candidates, civic and civil rights leaders. We do not want to condone assassinations by our government.
No need to worry. The bin Ladens, al-Baghdadi, al-Zawahiri and Soleimani were executed. Not assassinated.
Israel did the same to Haniyeh and Shukr.
Context Required: John Oliver is a multi-year Emmy Award winner for his topical weekly review of news and in-depth reporting on his HBO show “Last Week Tonight.” He combines humor, satire and bravado to inform his audience.
Mostly, he succeeds. But last Sunday, August 28, during a lengthy segment on the status of the West Bank under Israeli control, Oliver fell victim to what trips up many commentators.
In his dissection of living conditions in the West Bank, Oliver pointedly showed Palestinian desires for independence juxtaposed against Israeli actions to usurp their land and freedoms. It was dramatic video.
Oliver noted Israel became a state in 1948 after a United Nations vote. But Oliver never said the UN also voted for a Palestinian state that surrounding Arab nations and Palestinians rejected in 1948, 1956, 1967, 1973, 2000, 2005. Time and again Palestinian leadership chose terrorism over statehood, terrorism over peaceful co-existence, terrorism over economic development.
“It is easier to wage rebellion than rule a country,” Gilda thoughtfully commented to me.
Into that void extremist Israelis have made peaceful co-existence difficult to achieve.
Election Update: With Kamala Harris’ announcement of her running mate due any moment, here are comments culled from recent Facebook entries that appealed to me:
On the subject of Donald Trump wanting to shift the next presidential debate from ABC to Fox News:
“New rule: if your network had to pay $787M to settle claims for lying to your audience, you don’t get to host a debate. Ever.”
On Trump’s qualifications for office:
“Fact: Someone with 34 felonies would not pass the background check to sort/deliver mail for the Postal Service.”
On the subject of mispronouncing Kamala’s name:
“He calls her Ka mala. She should start calling him Don old.”
