By Joseph A. Klein, CFP United Nations Columnist ——Bio and Archives--October 16, 2024

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So-called international law “experts” at the anti-Israel United Nations have denounced Israel’s recent air and ground operations in Lebanon to root out the Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorists' leadership, command-and-control centers, and weaponry. “Israel’s latest breach of international law – a ground invasion in violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and Security Council resolution 1701 – will only add to this mounting toll of death and displacement,” the UN “experts” said.

Although begrudgingly condemning the “indiscriminate attacks by non-State armed groups based in Lebanon that have displaced some 63,000 within Israel,” the so-called “experts” declared that such “crimes” do not justify Israel’s alleged “atrocities” in Lebanon. This assortment of UN “experts” accused Israel of committing “acts of violence intended to spread terror among civilians and indiscriminate warfare,” which “would amount to collective punishment” in violation of international law.

These self-proclaimed “experts” could not be more wrong. Here are some basic truths that elude the UN’s Israel-bashers and that fully justify Israel’s air and ground military operations in Lebanon conducted in self-defense:

1. Beginning on October 8, 2023 – the day after Hamas’s horrific invasion of Israel and its massacres of civilians – Hezbollah launched an unprovoked barrage of rockets, missiles, and drones against Israel in violation of Israel’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Hezbollah did not even try to claim that it was acting in self-defense. Neither did the state of Lebanon from whose territory the aerial attacks originated. Hezbollah’s leaders said that their terrorist organization attacked Israel in solidarity with Hamas and would not cease the barrages from Lebanon until Israel withdrew completely from Gaza.

2. Israel responded to Hezbollah’s aggression with proportional aerial strikes on Hezbollah........

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