14 No. 70 JUSTICE some European states, have not been involved in war, nor have they had any experience with an armed conflict. These same officials say, “Oh no, you’ve got to use proportionality. If they only attack you with o ne cannon, you cannot shoot back with two cannons.” This is rubbish; however it creates a very real public relations problem. Every army in the world knows that if you are attacked with a rifle, there is no requirement that, “You can only shoot back with a rifle. You cannot use a machine gun, that’s not fair.” Yet again and again, we hear accusations that “Israel is using disproportionate force in warfare,” and I think the answer is “yes.” Sometimes that is the entire point. During the 2006 war against Hezbollah, Hezbollah apparently learned that when it attacks Israel, Israel will respond forcefully. There has not been a full war with Hezbollah since 2006, in part because Hezbollah are choosing to be very careful not to repeat its mistake. I hope Hamas learns the same lesson. In summation, Israel respects international law, and it is in our interest to respect international law. Israeli courts adhere to and enforce international law, but only law as it exists, not as it is tailor-made for Israel.n Robbie Sabel is a professor of international law at the Hebrew University Jerusalem and a member of the Academic Advisory Board of Justice. His most recent book is “ International Law and the Arab-Israeli Conflict” (Cambridge University Press, 2022).
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