Israel’s Just War

the AZEL PERSPECTIVE Commentary on Cuba's Future, U.S. Foreign Policy & Individual Freedoms - Issue 328B   José Azel's latest books "On Freedom" and "Sobre La Libertad" are now available on Amazon.  Israel’s Just War  Share Tweet Forward Just war theory (bellum iustum) is a principle of military ethics that seeks to determine if a war is morally justifiable by invoking criteria that must be met for a war to be considered just. Just war theory has been long studied by ethicists, theologians, scholars, and policymakers.  The fundamental criterion for a just war is normally considered along two axes: 1. the right, or the morality, of going to war (jus ad bellum) and 2. the moral conduct in war (jus in bello).  Just war theory submits that war, while terrible, is not always the worst option. In ancient Rome, the necessity of resisting an invasion or retaliating for raids would have been reasons for a just war. In just war theory, preventing future atrocities is also a justification for war.  In Christian doctrine, St. Augustine of Hippo, who originated the term “just war”, stressed that peacefulness would be a sin when facing wrongs that could only be stopped by violence. Similarly, St. Thomas Aquinas set out three requirements for a just war:  The war must be waged under the command of a rightful sovereign.  The war must be fought for just cause on account of some wrong perpetrated on the party  seeking to wage a just war.  Warriors must have the right intent to promote good and avoid evil. Contemporary armed  conflicts, such as World War II, have generally been judged according to Aquinas’ norms.  The just war historical tradition combines a moral aversion towards war with a willingness to accept that war may sometimes be necessary. For the State of Israel, following the October 7th attack by Hamas terrorists on Israeli civilians; war is the only reasonable option.  Once war has begun, the norms of jus in bello come into play, among these norms are distinction, proportionality, military necessity, fair treatment of prisoners of war and malum in se.  Distinction refers to directing the acts of war only towards enemy combatants. The practice of Hamas terrorist of hiding amongst civilian populations will make this a monumental challenge for the Israeli armed forces.  Proportionality refers to combatants making sure that the harm caused to civilians or civilian property is not excessive. Rightfully, the Israeli government will seek to eradicate the Hamas  threat as conclusively as possible. For some, this eradication approach will amount to disproportionality.  Consider however, that given the population of Israel, the 1,000 plus Israeli casualties inflicted by Hamas are equivalent to some 25,000 casualties in terms of the U.S. population. The 9/11 attacks killed 2,977 and we responded fiercely to avenge the murder of our brethren. What would we have done had the number killed on 9/11 been the 25,000 comparable to the Israeli casualties in the Hamas attack?  Military necessity, in a just war military action should be limited to legitimate military objectives. The Hamas attack on Israeli civilians is the most blatant violation of this principle. Thus, for the Israelis, the elimination of Hamas is now a military necessity.  Fair treatment of prisoners of war, as of this writing, the Hamas organization holds some 150 civilian prisoners including women and children and is threatening their execution.  Malum in se is a concept referring to evil-in-itself. For example, murder and rape are inherently wrong by nature, independently of any laws governing that conduct. The terrorist attack by Hamas on Israeli civilians on October 7 is an evil-in-itself regardless of any political justification that may be advanced.  For the Israelis, as well as for all of humanity, the annihilation of this malum in se terrorist group has become the most just of just wars.  Please let us know if you  this article. We welcome your feedback. Abrazos,  Lily & José  (click on the name to email Lily or Jose) José Azel, Ph.D. José Azel left Cuba in 1961 as a 13 year-old political exile in what has been dubbed Operation Pedro Pan - the largest unaccompanied child refugee movement in the history of the Western Hemisphere.   He is currently dedicated to the in-depth analyses of Cuba's economic, social and political state, with a keen interest in post-Castro-Cuba strategies. Dr. Azel was a Senior Scholar at the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies (ICCAS) at the University of Miami, Jose Azel has published extensively on Cuba related topics. In 2012 and 2015, Dr. Azel testified in the U.S. Congress on U.S.-Cuba Policy, and U.S. National Security.  He is a frequent speaker and commentator on these and related topics on local, national and international media.  He holds undergraduate and masters degrees in business administration and a Ph.D. in International Affairs from the University of Miami. José along with his wife Lily are avid skiers and adventure travelers.  In recent years they have climbed Grand Teton in Wyoming, trekked Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Machu Pichu in Peru.  They have also hiked in Tibet and in the Himalayas to Mt. Everest Base Camp. They cycled St. James Way (El Camino de Santiago de Compostela) and cycled alongside the Danube from Germany to Hungary and throughout southern France.  They have scuba dived in the Bay Islands off the Honduran coast and in the Galapagos Islands. Most recently, they rafted for 17 days 220 miles in the Grand Canyon.  Their adventurers are normally dedicated to raise funds for causes that are dear to them.  Watch Joe & Lily summit Kilimanjaro. Books by Dr. José Azel José Azel’s writings are touched with the wisdom of a master, and the charm of an excellent communicator. Anyone who wishes to understand why countries do, or do not, progress will find in this book the best explanations. And, from these readings emerge numerous inferences: How and why do the good intentions of leftist collectivism lead countries to hell? Why is liberty not a sub product of prosperity, but rather one of its causes? If it was in my power, this work would be required reading for all college and university students, and I would also recommend its reading to all politicians, journalists, and policymakers. With his writings Azel accomplishes what was achieved in France by Frédéric Bastiat, and in the United States by Henry Hazlitt: Azel brings together common sense with intelligent observation, and academic substance. Stupendous, Carlos Alberto Montaner                                                                    BUY NOW Los escritos de José Azel están tocados por la sabiduría de un maestro y la amenidad de un excelente comunicador. Cualquiera que desee entender por qué los países progresan, o no, encontrará en este libro las mejores explicaciones. De estas lecturas surgen numerosas inferencias: ¿Cómo y por qué las buenas intenciones del colectivismo de izquierda llevan a los países al infierno? ¿Por qué la libertad no es un subproducto de la prosperidad, sino una de sus causas? Si estuviera en mis manos, esta obra sería de obligada lectura de todos los estudiantes universitarios, pero además, le recomendaría su lectura a todos los políticos, periodistas y policy makers. Con sus escritos Azel logra lo que Frédéric Bastiat consiguiera en Francia y Henry Hazlitt en Estados Unidos: aunar el sentido común, la observación inteligente y la enjundia académica. Estupendo. Carlos Alberto Montaner                                                            Compre Aqui "Liberty for beginners is much more than what the title promises. It is eighty themes touched with the wisdom of a master, and the charm of an excellent communicator. Anyone that wishes to understand why countries do, or do not progress, will find in this book the best explanations. Stupendous" Carlos Alberto Montaner Buy Now "Libertad para novatos es mucho más de lo que promete el título. Son ochenta temas tocados con la sabiduría de un maestro y la amenidad de un excelente comunicador. Cualquier adulto que desee saber por qué progresan o se estancan los pueblos aquí encontrará las mejores explicaciones. Estupendo." Carlos Alberto Montaner Compre Aqui In Reflections on Freedom, José Azel brings together a collection of his columns published in prestigious newspapers.  Each article reveals his heartfelt and personal awareness of the importance of freedom in our lives.  They are his reflections after nearly sixty years of living and learning as a Cuban outside Cuba. In what has become his stylistic trademark, Professor Azel brilliantly introduces complex topics in brief journalistic articles. Buy Now En Reflexiones sobre la libertad José Azel reúne una colección de sus columnas publicadas en prestigiosos periódicos. Cada artículo revela su percepción sincera y personal de la importancia de la libertad en nuestras vidas. Son sus reflexiones después de casi sesenta años viviendo y aprendiendo como cubano fuera de Cuba.  En lo que ha resultado ser característica distintiva de sus artículos, el Profesor Azel introduce con brillantez complejos temas en  breves artículos de carácter periodístico. Compre Aqui Mañana in Cuba is a comprehensive analysis of contemporary Cuba with an incisive perspective of the Cuban frame of mind and its relevancy for Cuba's future. Buy now Pedazos y Vacíos is a collection of poems written in by Dr. Azel in his youth. Poems are in Spanish. Buy now To friend, follow or email author click on the icons below: Click here to: View this email in your browser Access past issues Access automated translations Facilitate sharing Print from your browser Copyright © 2022 Azel & Associates, All rights reserved. If you are receiving this email it is because we met you at some point on an adventure. 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