Revenge undertaken by a government against an ‘enemy’ acting against the state and its citizenry is expected and sometimes necessary, but rides a very fine line, constitutionally and morally.
Revenge is different from defence – the failure of the latter may not justify the former. Revenge is rooted in the usually disallowed principle of retributive justice (in India, the logic of retribution is inapplicable, but incapacitation of threat is valid).
Therefore, questions arise on Israel’s ensuing morality and legality of reaction when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promises “mighty vengeance” and then tweets by quoting poet Hayim Nahman Bialik, “Revenge for the blood of a little child has yet been devised by Satan” to end all speculation about intent.
Netanyahu is fully entitled to outrage at the despicable actions of a terror organisation like Hamas, but to match (and exceed) the misconduct of a terror organisation onto the civilians of the ‘other’ side is indefensible. In such times, even the sense of proportionality in reaction takes a backseat.