The real issue of what is considered morally correct in a time of war, can be learned from President Harry S. Truman, a United States President that was involved in war of survival Americas primary reason to use the Atomic Bombs to bring WW2 to an end, was when America came to the unmistaken realization after the arduous Battle for Okinawa and the free usage by Japan of the Kamikazes to strike back at superior forces arrayed against them, was the Oriental way of thinking, which is “LIFE IS CHEAP” and it is very noble to die for your country. President Truman having realized this phenomenon sought the advice of his military commanders, according to their best estimates, how many casualties do they expect to sustain in overpowering their initial assault against Mainland Japan, and how many additional casualties are expected before subduing Japan after its occupation? It is a fact of history President Truman was advised that according to the militaries best estimates the Allies expect to sustain over 1,000,000 yes, over one Million casualties, and that did not take into account the casualties that Japan will suffer, and was further advised that it would take at last an entire generation to subdue the Japanese population with an additional unknown casualties. President Truman, realizing he is the only person capable to decide, do I allow Millions to perish or do I eradicate one or more Japanese cities (those cities were populated mostly by civilians) and not allow his citizens to suffer unacceptable losses or do I for the sake of proprietary utilize conventional war methods and ignore the suffering by the families of the service personnel so that History will maybe judge him as “not being the first nation to utilize a weapon never unleashed, that will bring total destruction wherever it will be used. We know that President Truman choose as Commander in Chief to uphold his oath of Office which in part is “to protect and defend the Americans, and by his decisive action saved countless Americans and yes Japanese from a long and protracted war of occupation. I only hope that Israel has that kind of moral leadership

the world is not ready to accept a jewish state that can defend itself and that is why its ok for civilians in israel to be killed and NOT ok for civilians in lebanon to be killed.

The nations of Europe have two problems: First, they have always been anti-semitic...from the Spanish Inquisition to the pogroms of Russia to the trial of Captain Dreyfus in France and the Nazis' Final Solution throughout the Third Reich. Their second problem is that they will always suck up and appease whomever threatens them like the Moors, like the Nazis, and now like the Islamo-Nazi immigrants who crowd into their borders.

and then we'll see how you feel. In fact, let's drop 1500 + missiles of the kind that Hezbollah has been lobbing into our northern neighborhors into Southsea --bet you'd change your tune quite quickly.

Right spoken!!! God bless Israel. Psalm 125.

I may not agree, but I think this really reflects current Israeli thinking. I linked to it from my blog - http://israelimom.blogspot.com/

THEY ARE SO ANTI SEMITIC THAT THEY HID THE TRUTH TO APPEASE THE MUSLIMS. JUST LIKE EUROPE'S DOUBLE STANDARDS. THIS ARTICLE MUST REPRODUCED THROUGHOUT EUROPE IMMEDIATELY.

Rafi, you hit the nail right on the head. This is not time for restraint if our people are being targeted. I only hope that the powers that be heed your words and do what needs to be done.

I think in the same way and agree 100% with it. We, the jewish people must only trust in ourselves and don´t care what the others say.

The U N has sat back and watch people die in Rwanda,East timor and many other countrys Yet they scream out when a few UN people killed,What use are they if they alowed Hizbollah to armed> i say use as much force as you need as the UN won't saved you.

Please do Reproduce the article, please tell the Brits what is really going on. People are such sheep. Following who? These are terrorists and they will not stop with Isreal either.

Terran may talk tough, but Israel should just go ahead and take out iran's nuclear bomb factories and research centers and drop the biggest bunker busters they have on the iranian embassy in Beirut. This is the only kind of language that the mad jihad Haman or whatever his name is understands---being of the primitive mind that he is.

You make an eloquent case for the destruction of Hezbollah. I was most moved by your analysis of the pro-arabist bias in the international press. Here in the USA the Jewish community must take action to present the Israeli case in a more formidable pro-active manner. I hope that your article is distributed to every key press organization on the globe. Many Americans, like myself, await the day that the news papers read: "Israel destroys Hezbollah Leadership." Rafi, thank you! Am Yisroel Chai

Whenever politicians "attempt" to participate in a military operation it has ended in failure. The military is an asset to be employed when diplomacy no longer works. It is necessary for politicians to realize that the military is needed to enforce policy, after their method has failed. They need to get out of the way until the objective has been resolved.

THANK YOU RAFI- may HaShem bless all those who bless Israel and may the IDF destroy every single terrorist and everyone who shelters a terrorist. ISRAEL-don't listen to World Opinion- WHERE where all this voices during the Holocaust? HOW DID THE UK RESPOND TO HITLERS MISSILES? STAY STRONG ISRAEL WE ARE WITH YOU ALL THE WAY!

Who gives a stuff about the rest of the world and its hypocrisy.(read pslam 83) Israel has to do what it has to do. Do it right, do it once! I and many others are with Israel on this one. Mazel Tov

yes. what you say feels good, but, in the end we must be different. that is our burden in life.

When I listen to my stomach I want to strike Hezballa exactly as you. But our life not ended with the of this war.

The Israeli weakness is its leadership. The Israeli people and the IDF are great. Hezbollah must be destroyed, anything less is a defeat and guarantee of future Israeli deaths. It took England more than eight months to replace Chamberlain with Churchill. How long can Israel afford Olmert?

The only "disaster" in Bint Jbeil was that the IDF did not fully surround the town before the assauly operation. What the IDF experieced was heavy covering fire and IED's while the main hizbullah force left to the north. Olmert should be tried for treason for not authorising the necessary ground troops to complete the operation. After telling the "evil" settlers that they shuold be happy they're not in coffins he now hamstrings the military. Thus, you can say that the REAL disaster is Olmert himself. On a side note, for those who'd say I'm just a yank and an armchair general, my aunt lives in Nahariya and survived the missile strikei n the hospital.

Rafi - you are absolutely correct. The world stood by and watched without tears when 6 million Jews were killed. The IDF is the only reason another 6 million in Israel have not been killed since then. Let's not worry about what the world thinks nor moral self doubt and just finish off Hezbollah. It is better that their innocents die than ours.

You are so out of touch with reality. I am here and I know what is going on. Just in Nahariyah along 500 buildings have been hit (source friend in Nahariyah). You need to stop your propaganda sources of news. 1)Israel is not a colonial power 2) Israel had a security strip in southern Lebanon for years and since it left it 6 years ago..this is what leaving created-war. 3)Israel doesn't want to be in Lebanese terrority. 4) You see a few neighbourhoods of Lebanon and assume the whole countyruy has been bombed. THe bombiing have been limited in scope to save innocent(presumed innocent) lives. 5)There are Arabs occupying Israel land inthe land of ISrael. They are a colonial power. It is part of their religion-Islam. Read the Qu'ran and the Hadith sometime. 6) Arabs are from the ARABIAN penninsula. (let's try to use a few brain cells for analysis and some critical thinking) Therefore Arab muslims outside of this area are colonists. 7)Jews are native their homeland...the land of ISrael. 8) Jews don't wish to kill Arabs. We fight in self-defense. Muslims are taught to hate and murder/slaughter Jews including womena and children. Ellen this is for you..pictures of your tolerant peace loving arabs not printed in US media : http://www.yearinbrazil.com/islam.htm

A "few" katyushas were in fact over a 2000. "had their ENTIRE country bombed" -was in fact only a the hezbollah suburb in Beirut, roads and bridges and rocketlaunchers. "Millions" of refugees - there are only 4 million people in all of Lebanon, only the people of the south moved more northwards, which is at the most half a million. In Israel more people left their homes than in Lebanon. The British and Americans killed twice as many Afghan civilians in the same time period, as Israel is in Lebanon (2 weeks killed 900 Afghan Civilians). You comment is utterly ridiculous. Your own country went only recently to war for the Falklands that are thousands of kilometers away and I don't even talk about the slaughter you caused in Africa. If one should bow their heads in shame for it's colonisation it is you the English.

Rafi, you're the first editorial that make sence, I hope the politician will read your editorial. what has happened to us, soft the only way the arabs understand, is the Israeli might. other wise we will loose our country.

Mr. Ginat, the days are numbered for this fools, they can keep claming that it is raining when their dear prote`ge`es spit in their faces, it will not be long until they too taste the cruelty and incoherent behavior. For the crazy Muslims Israel is merely an appetaizer their eyes are set on the rest of the world, any one that has a pea for a brain in Europ, US, Canada & Australia has to look around and see them invaiding the world. Thank you Israel and the IDF for standing up to terrorists that without any hasitation will exterminate Israel. They openly announce it to the world. Any one who can condone and support and cry for this people deserve whatever will happen to them.

It may be that Israel has already won this if you look at what will happen in the end. From "Igor" : "Israel has obtained substantial international agreement that if somebody, anybody, in Lebanon attacks Israel, Israel has the right to generally attack Lebanon`s infrastructure. Lebanon can no longer have a thriving tourist trade, $500 million dollar air terminal, major highways, international commerce, expensive hotels, and other trappings of modern civilization if they allow anybody to attack Israel from Lebanon. It is Lebanon`s options that are limited. Israel has already won this war." Israel may say "Fine, we will stop fighting, but in order for us to do this, you must give us peace and leave us alone". If Israel demands true peace as the price of a cease-fire, then Israel wins, even if they have lost some soldiers and some civilians. I know civilian casualties are tragic, but I am trying to be purely analytical here. So when the fighting stops, what can Hezbullah do? Can you imagine if the fighting would stop and Hezbullah would start it up again by firing more rockets or attacking another tank and soldiers? The whole world would say "Ok now THIS is enough" With an international force on the border and a stop to the fighting, this may lead to negotiations, which lead to peace. If Israel agrees to give back Shebaa Farms and even release some prisoners, what can Hezbullah say? "Thank you, but we are going to kill you anyway" ??? Even if many Lebanese are behind Hezbullah now, after the fighting stops, if Hezbullah starts it up again, that support will probably go down, because Lebanon has paid a huge price already for Hezbullah's adventure. So this might just work out in Israel's favor (because Israel's true goal is peace).

This is a very telling article which I am sure reflects the opinions of the overwhelming majority of Israelis. It is good that the topic of morality is brought up and discussed here, in this format and in English for the world to see. A fascist by the name of Yaacov Perrin once eulogized another fascist by saying that "A million Arabs are not worth one Jewish fingernail." Although most Israelis would describe this guy as "fanatical," the fact is that, while the numbers may vary from person to person (a million is pretty high), I believe that most Israelis endorse this view in one form or another. The lives of non-Jews are worth much, much less than those of Jews (particularly Israeli Jews). For the life of a single Israeli, Rafi sounds as though he is prepared to sanction the extermination of every living being in Lebanon, Syria, and Iran: "May their innocents die instead of ours." Israel needs to fight this war, and it needs to win. But that does not mean that it can indiscriminately terrorize and collectively punish huge numbers of civilians--what would separate it from Hezbollah then? Moral standards must be a part of warfare. If Israel wishes to continue to be part of the group of industrialized, modern, Western nations, it must conform to the laws of war. Relying on US double standards to protect it from the rest of the world will not work forever. America will not be the only superpower forever. As for Rafi, why doesn't he just stick to announcing for Maccabi Tel Aviv?

...from the Arab world and even the US and Israel. But you know as well as anyone they will only be hijacked by the corrupt "leaders" who will invest the money in furthering their cause which is brainwashing their civilians into bringing about the destruction of Israel rather than the betterment of their society. I mean if the international community handed you a check for $500 million and a piece of Mediterean real estate would you turn it into a revenue generating tourist destination which would in turn pay for schools, utilities, air conditioning and an overall better standard of living or the Gaza Strip? Just something to think about.