By Micah Halpern
I've Been Thinking:
There is little doubt that Israel targeted Samir Kuntar, the infamous Druze terrorist and Hezbollah leader.
Israel released Kuntar from prison where he was serving successive life terms for perpetrating a horrific terror attack that included the brutal murder of a young Jewish Israeli girl. After having the child witness the drowning and shooting of her own father, he crushed her skull.
Israel released Kuntar in exchange for the remains of the bodies of two Israelis that were being held by Hezbollah.
Samir Kuntar returned to Lebanon a hero.
So why kill him?
Kuntar was not targeted for what he did - that would require a judge and jury. Kuntar was targeted because he was plotting more terror attacks. Israel had Intel that he was coordinating a series of attacks from Lebanon and Syria into Israel.
That knowledge elevated the targeting of Samir Kuntar to an act of self defense.
This was not an act of vengeance. Vengeance is not justice and vengeance is immoral -- vengance is not how Israel behaves.
Given Samir Kuntar's history and the intelligence it was clear that innocent Israeli lives were at stake. Targeting the terrorist was morally justified and it was legal.
An interesting aside to this story is that part of his exchange was that Samir Kuntar signed a contract not to engage, organize or be involved in any form of terror.
Hah!
Micah@MicahHalpern.com
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