October 1, 2024
TOKYO – The Israeli military has killed the leader of Hezbollah, a Shiite militant group in Lebanon. Hezbollah has vowed to retaliate.
Both sides should exercise restraint, so that the fighting in the Palestinian territory of Gaza does not spread throughout the entire Middle East region.
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who had led Hezbollah for over 30 years, was killed in an airstrike in Beirut. Prior to this incident, Israel had been battering Lebanon with airstrikes. The death toll has exceeded 1,000 people.
Israel has claimed that the airstrikes were aimed at Hezbollah’s military bases. However, the reality is that many civilians, including women and children, were caught up in the attacks. It is clear that the airstrikes are indiscriminate killing that violate international humanitarian law.
All 15 members of the U.N. Security Council have called for an immediate ceasefire. The United States, Japan, France, Germany and other countries also issued a joint statement calling for a 21-day ceasefire.
Despite such moves, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not responded to the calls for a ceasefire. On the contrary, he has shown signs of launching a ground invasion following the airstrikes. This is extremely regrettable.
Hezbollah has been fighting together with the Islamist group Hamas in Gaza and has attacked Israel with rockets and other weapons. Although the fighting in Gaza was triggered by Hamas’ cross-border attacks, Israel’s response has already killed over 40,000 people. This has gone beyond the scope of self-defense.
Furthermore, it is outrageous that Israel has expanded the battlefront by directing its attacks at Lebanon, a sovereign nation, under the name of overthrowing Hezbollah.
Netanyahu may be trying to fend off domestic criticism over the Gaza invasion by creating a new offensive. He cannot escape the accusation of sacrificing the lives of many people and the stability of the Middle East for his own self-preservation.
There are concerns over the course of actions taken by Iran, which is hostile to Israel. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called on all Muslims to support Hezbollah. If Iran were to come into direct confrontation with Israel, the turmoil in the Middle East would become uncontrollable.
Despite this growing crisis, it can hardly be said that the United States, which backs Israel, is displaying sufficient leadership.
The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden continues to provide support for Israel while warning that it will stop supplying weapons to that country. Biden is showing declining leadership as his days in office are numbered. There is also the domestic factor that both the Democratic and Republican parties are receiving support from Jewish groups for the November presidential election.
However, if the United States does not address Israel’s high-handed behavior, its authority will be seriously damaged. The turmoil in the Middle East will likely be a burden for the next U.S. administration.
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 30, 2024)