REJOINDER TO RECTENWALD ON SUPPOSED ISRAELI WAR CRIMES

Walter E. Block

Abstract


In the view of Rectenwald (2024), in its 2023-2024 war against Hamas, Israel is guilty of “war crimes” and I am guilty of supporting this uncivilized behavior of that country. In so doing I am besmirching the good name of libertarianism, with which I have long been associated. The present paper is my attempt to refute these charges of that author. Specifically, Rectenwald maintains that I make unjustified demands for evidence, that I have improperly renounced by anarcho-capitalist philosophy, and that I have more than just several times contradicted myself.  My claim against him involves the argument that he gives insufficient weight to sectarianism and completely avoids the fact that Hamas uses Gazan civilians as shields. Further, I refute his claim that the IDF targets innocent civilians. Rectenwald defends DiLorenzo’s critique of my analysis of the Israel-Hamas war, and I take issue with the study of the latter scholar. Rectenwald is particularly exercised that the IDF can accurately estimate the number of civilians who are likely to be killed in an attack; I show the irrelevance of this criticism. We engage in a “war of words” over the statements of the leaders of the two warring parties. We also take issue with each other over US funding of Israel and its abrupt cessation; over shape shifting and silver linings.

Keywords


Israel, Hamas, genocide, war crimes

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References


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