The right of self-defense on the level of nations

Wired has an interesting piece on the current Israeli attack on Gaza, and how they have been targeted.

Israel’s war against Hamas was launched, in large part, to send a message to its adversaries: Be afraid. Any attacks on the Jewish state will be met with overwhelming, even brutal, force. Traditionally off-limits sites, like Mosques and hospitals, won’t serve as hiding places. Enemy leaders will be hunted down and killed — even if they’re surrounded by their children and wives.

If you choose to hide behind the robes of your clerics, the skirts of your women or the toys of your children, then it’s you that put them in danger and you who bears the moral responsibility if your actions lead to their deaths. Self-defense is a human right, and Israel has decided to defend itself with a well-justified vengeance.

However, the part I found most interesting was this:

“The Arab view is now that Israel is a crazed animal, locked in a cage, fuming to get out all the time,” a senior Foreign Ministry official tells Danger Room, approvingly. “Now, it’s the responsibility of the Arab leadership to keep the animal in the cage, by not provoking it.”

It’ll be interesting to see how this works out for Israel. I’m betting it works better than their previous efforts.