Israel Broadens 'Self-Defense' to Lebanon: A Familiar Strategy
When the Israeli military carries out a strike in Lebanon, the media often frames it as a response, a security imperative. What they rarely highlight is Israel's long-standing pattern of operations deep within Lebanon, often violating UN Security Council Resolution 1701 which calls for full respect for the Blue Line. One might recall previous expansions: the 1982 invasion that reached Beirut, the
2006 war, and the ongoing incursions. This isn't 'self-defense' in a narrow sense; it's a projection of power that consistently redraws the regional map. So, when politicians in Washington, like Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) who received $200,000 from pro-Israel PACs in 2022 (OpenSecrets.org), express 'ironclad support' for Israel’s 'right to defend itself,' they rarely specify how far that 'right'
extends. Does it include repeated incursions into sovereign nations, destabilizing an already fragile region, all while billions in U.S. military aid (like the $3.8 billion annually) keep flowing? Apparently, some nations' borders are more sacred than others.