The Israeli Defense Forces continues the battle to neutralize the Hezbollah terror threat from Lebanon. Many in the media are pointing their fingers and chastising Israel for a “disproportionate” response or condemning her for the loss of civilian life in Lebanon. It is critical that the simple truth undermining these erroneous accusations come out. As the conflict rages on, many people are asking questions about what they are seeing, hearing, and reading in the media. We hope that the following answers to common questions that arise will be helpful whether you are writing to the media or even answering friends or co-workers.
Questions & Answers about the Conflict in the North
Q: How did the conflict start?
A: Hezbollah terrorists launched an unprovoked attack against Israel by crossing the internationally recognized border, killing eight Israeli soldiers, and taking two hostage.
Q: Is Israel’s response “disproportionate”?
A: Hezbollah has fired over 1,400 rockets at dozens of Israeli cities, killing and wounding over 1,200 civilians. More than one million Israelis have been forced into bomb shelters or have fled their homes. The toll on the Israeli economy is estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Q: Should Israel’s response be limited?
A: Israel is seeking to stop the rocket attacks and free the hostages. The nation of Israel is under military attack and is obligated to defend its citizens.
Q: Is Israel targeting civilian infrastructure?
A: Israel is targeting terrorist infrastructure and facilities, sites used for targeting Israeli civilians, routes used to transport weaponry, and media facilities used by Hezbollah.
Q: Why have there been so many Lebanese casualties?
A: Hezbollah hides amongst civilians. They use private homes, vehicles, and even mosques to hide rockets and launch attacks.
Q: What has Israel done to minimize civilian casualties?
A: Israel warns residents of areas of impending attacks through leaflets and even phone calls. Doing so increases risks to Israeli soldiers because it also alerts terrorists to Israeli plans.
Q: Is Israel concerned about the number of civilian casualties?
A: Israel regrets the loss of innocent civilian lives. Had Hezbollah chosen to set up its arsenal away from populated areas, there would not be civilian casualties.
Q: Why doesn’t Israel agree to a cease-fire?
A: A cease-fire without conditions would reward terrorism and leave the Israeli hostages in the hands of Hezbollah.
Q: Why does Israel not use diplomacy to end the crisis?
A: A diplomatic solution must include the return of abducted Israeli servicemen, a complete ceasefire, and expulsion of the Hezbollah terrorist group as called for by UN Resolution 1559. Anything less would merely reward terror and invite future attacks.
We hope that the above is helpful. Please make sure that your local media is reporting the truth, not propoganda created by those with a bias against Israel.
The Tragedy at Qana
Over 50 civilians were tragically killed on Sunday when the IDF bombed a building in which Hezbollah terrorists were hiding. While this is an immense tragedy, it must be placed in proper context, namely:
- This site has been used to launch dozens of rockets that have killed eighteen Israeli civilians;
- The IDF dropped leaflets and warned residents by phone calls that the site would be targeted and that they should leave;
- By using a civilian area to launch attacks, Hezbollah bears direct responsibility for these tragic deaths.
HonestReporting sincerely regrets the loss of innocent life on both sides. Please help us hold the media accountable for reporting accurately on the reasons and responsibility for this tragedy.
