On 'Proportionality'

Be careful what you wish for!

Israel have not yet buried their dead, but already Western progressives are lecturing them about the need for proportionately in their response.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan mentioned the need for Israel to take a proportionate response four times in just 90 seconds when he spoke to media this week.

He said …

“There’s got to be an understanding that the consequences of a DISPROPORTIONATE reaction from the Israeli government is going to be incredible hardship.

“WE are worried about the response of the Israeli government being DISPROPORTIONATE leading to suffering that’s inexplicable.

“Our govt has got a really good relational with the Israeli govt. We should use that to remind the Israeli government of responding PROPORTIONATELY.

“Our government has got a special relationship with Israel as indeed the US government has. I’m hoping those friends of Israel explain to the Israeli government of course that pain is felt but actually the response should be PROPORTIONATE.”

Of course, all of this begs the question, what is a proportionate response to the rape of your wives and daughters?

Do tell us Mayor Khan. What might be a proportionate response to men kidnapping babies for use as human shields?

Is there some sort of mathematic equation we can use?

If you’re going to appeal to proportionality, you must have some kind of idea as to what it looks like.

Both Jews and Muslims revere Moses who taught “an eye for an eye”. Is that what Khan means by proportionate? They raped your women, so now you may rape theirs?

Let’s imagine the Israelis wanted to respond proportionately to Hamas’ attack on Saturday. What would that look like?

Well first, the Israelis would need to find a music festival in Gaza where young people were gathering to dance all night.

That shouldn’t be too difficult. Hamas is known for nothing if not its flourishing underground rave scene.

Then the Jews would need to stab, shoot and bash on the head with hammers up to, but no more than, 260 young people.

Obviously they could also kidnap 100 or so youth to be marked for executions broadcast live on social media later in the week.

After that, Jews would need to find a town of similar size to Kfar Aza in Israel where Hamas attacked.

Israel could then send a bunch of men to break into houses, shooting men, women and children in their beds.

Under the rules of proportionately, they would be allowed to kill 40 babies.

If the Israelis wanted to save on bullets, they could simply burn people alive. Whatever. As long as they slaughtered precisely the same number as Hamas slaughtered.

How good is proportionately! The Left should be careful what they wish for.

Israel is the only nation on earth who, when attacked by terrorists, immediately cop a lecture from Western elites about how they may, and may not, react.

‘Oh, your baby was beheaded?

‘Well, mind how you respond then!’

I suspect that Western elites demanding a proportionate response from Israel actually mean to say ‘bend over and take it’.

To be clear, I’m not advocating for the bombing of Gaza without regard for life. Israel’s war is with Hamas, not the Palestinian people.

I’m simply pointing out that the demand for a proportionate response is just silly. War doesn’t work like that.

Let’s consider this from another angle.

If you must talk about proportionality, it could be argued that Israel’s response is completely disproportionate. But not in the way Hamas apologists like Khan might imagine.

While Hamas deliberately avoided conflict with the IDF and instead directly targeted civilians, the Israeli Defence Force is doing its level best to target enemy combatants.

While Hamas went door to door indiscriminately murdering civilians in their beds, Israel is giving Palestinians advance warning of attacks so that they can evacuate and avoid injury.

While Hamas took civilian hostages, including babies, Israel is rounding up only enemy fighters.

Lefties might want to think a little harder before they keep demanding a proportionate response, just in case Israel decide to give them one!

And one more thing …

Why is it that the world lectures Israel about proportionately, but not Hamas? Have you ever thought about that?

Western elites automatically demand the highest standards of human decency from Israel, while shrugging and sighing “meh” at the animalistic behaviour of Hamas.

Is that not an admission that, deep down, even those who side with Hamas know very well who the civilised people are?