The touchstone of conversation about Israel in war is that Israel has the right to defend itself. Everyone says that, from Jimmy Carter to yours truly. But what is going on here? If Israel has the right to defend itself do others? We in the U.S. would of course say that we do. In fact, rightwingers of a certain stripe say that is ALL the government should do. Well…how about Lebanon? A pre-emptive war is taking place on its soil. Does it have the right/duty/obligation to defend? Is this right to defend a property of a state? Or, of all people? Do Kurds have the right to defend themselves, even though they don’t have a state? Even when the state within which they live attacks them?

Does Israel have MORE of a right to defend itself? Does the horrific genesis of the state of Israel give it, the state, more right than others? Or does it have the same right?