"Hezbollah is making mistakes, and the citizens of Lebanon will be the ones to pay the price," Israeli defence minister Galant said. "What we do in Gaza we can do in Beirut."
Well now... what exactly IS Israel doing Gaza? Let us not ask Antonio Guterres. Let us not ask millions of protestors around the world. Let us not even ask Manuel Macron. No. Let us ask the Israeli government.
According to them they are "targeting" Hamas leaders and fighters.
Target v. "to select as an object of attention or attack."
In other words, they are taking their 155mm artillery shells and MK80-JDAM guided 2000lb bombs and "aiming" them at coordinates where a Hamas leader or unit is supposedly located.
WE ARE NOT "AIMING" AT CIVILIANS!!!! WE WOULD NEVER DO SUCH A OUTRAGEOUS, INHUMANE THING.
Certainly the Israeli High Command know that the precisely targeted 2000lb bunker-buster-bombs cause tremendous collateral damage; but that, they argue, is immaterial because they do not "INTEND" to target civilians and, absent intent, there is no crime.
The same is said with respect to the use of white phosphorous which, the Israelis claim, is only intended to light up the battle-scene not to burn anyone to the bone.
They insist hotly, earnestly, adamantly and to the point of outrage and anger they they do not INTEND to cause civilian casualties, although they admit, with deep regret, that collateral civilian casualties are caused.
That's their argument.
Okee dokee; so cometh now Gallant and says: "What we DO in Gaza we can DO in Beirut."
Does anyone catch the difference between "what we INTEND" and "what we DO;" between "what we are trying to do" and what we are doing" ?
Gallant knows perfectly well that what Israel DOES in Gaza is (to date) kill 10,000 civilians, and reduce a city to rubble. In so saying he admits to his real intent.
Let us bend over backwards and suppose that when it began the bombing of Gaza Israel had no idea what the collateral damage of its "targeted" missiles and bombs would be. My golly!!! We wish the Amis had warned us how destructive these things were. We had no idea!
Okay... but they know now, and it threatening to DO to Beirut what they did DO to Gaza, Gallant is threatening mass civilian deaths. And he does so without any qualms.
He takes pride in his threat. What I can DO, I will DO!!! It has a godlike ring to it, does it not?
And lest there be any doubt; whereas Gaza is located in Gaza, Beirut is 60 miles from the border with Israel and 60 miles from the Hezbollah units firing on the border.
Out of their own mouths, by the very words they used, they have admitted to DOing war crimes in Gaza.
©