Not that our good friends in Europe and Russia need to have their memories jogged. They remember all too well. They have a problem. Their duplicity and their excuses and their double standards have caught up with them. The facts speak for themselves. And so does their response. The only questions remaining are: is anyone paying attention? And does anyone care?
(via IMRA or, for WSJ subscribers, here)
STATE OF THE UNION Europe's Disproportionate Criticism
By GERALD M. STEINBERG July 17, 2006
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115309198473908163.html
JERUSALEM -- In early 2000, the European Union was an enthusiastic supporter
of unilateral Israeli withdrawal from the security zone in southern Lebanon.
Paris was about to take over the EU presidency in July and played a dominant
role in the discussions. The French foreign and defense ministers pressed
Israel to return its military forces to the international border. In
detailed talks that took place at the French ambassador's residence in
Jaffa, in which I participated as an academic consultant, the Europeans
assured us that once Israel retreated, Hezbollah would lose its raison d'etre
as a "militia" and transform itself into a political party. France and its
partners would send peacekeepers to prevent terror and missile attacks
against Israel, help the Lebanese army take control of the border, and
disarm Hezbollah.
In May that year, the Israeli military left Lebanon. The United Nations
certified that the withdrawal was complete. But Europe did nothing.
Hezbollah's leaders celebrated a great "military victory," and Iranian
"advisers" provided intelligence, training and thousands more of missiles,
some with ranges of 75 kilometers and more that could penetrate deep into
Israeli territory and for the first time hit Haifa, Israel's third biggest
city.
Instead of the promised transformation, Hezbollah took positions right
across Israel's border and prepared for the next round of the war. Fearing
international and particularly European condemnation, Israel did nothing to
prevent this dangerous buildup. Emboldened by Israeli restraint, Hezbollah
staged the first cross-border attack and kidnapping only five months after
Israel's withdrawal, in October 2000.
Europe's reaction back then was limited to repeating the usual mantras,
calling on Israel to "act with restraint" and to "give diplomacy a chance."
And here are some more important facts that the media, so far, seems to be missing:
Israel's strategy is twofold. The immediate goal is to remove Hezbollah's acute threat by crippling its military capabilities and driving their troops from the border zone. Attacks on Lebanese infrastructure are designed to prevent the resupply of Hezbollah and to pressure the Lebanese government to establish full sovereignty over the country. It is Lebanon, not Israel, that is in violation of international law as Beirut still has not implemented U.N. resolution 1559, which demands that Hezbollah be disarmed.
Oh, yes, there's more.
