You Damn Skippy!

The Israeli Supreme Court just ruled that targeted killings are ok. However, legal expert that I am, I disagree with the way the three-justice panel came this conclusion. The court said that terrorist operatives are not legally defined as combatants and therefore must be considered civilians, but are nonetheless not afforded the same protections granted to innocent civilians under international law. Frankly, this confuses me. Israel is fighting an undeclared terrorist / guerrilla insurgency and anyone involved in those operations, be it planning them, directing them or carrying them out, is clearly an enemy combatant and therefore a legitimate military target. How can these people be considered civilians simply because when they carry their guns, bombs, anti-tank missiles and RPG’s they’re not wearing uniforms and haven’t officially declared war? Who cares, they’re committing hostile acts against Israeli civilians and soldiers, what else does one need to know. They know the risks they take when they engage in such activities and they have to be willing to pay the price for the relentless violence they perpetrate.