Dateline Jerusalem — If you aren't a mathematician or scientist then the word "disproportionate" probably was not part of your everyday vocabulary — until recently.
Now, thanks to the "disproportionate" use of the word by the media and their "disproportionate" one-sided coverage of the conflict between Hamas and Israel, the word is almost as commonplace as the word "the."
However, although everyone may accept the dictionary definition of "disproportionate" — meaning unequal or out of proportion in size, shape, amount or quantity — and most people agree that the war between Hamas and Israel was a "disproportionate" one, there is no agreement as to what was disproportionate about it.
The media tends to cite the “disproportionate” number of deaths of Palestinians to those of Israelis as to why Israel's defense against Palestinian rocket fire from Gaza aimed at killing Israel's civilian population was a "disproportionate" response.
The media also cites the weapons used by Israel as being a "disproportionate" use of force because the Palestinian rockets, mortars and missiles did not create as much damage or death to Israelis.
How many innocent Israeli women and children must die or be injured before Israel is allowed to defend itself?
Is there a magic number?
Give Me a Formula
How many years must Israel accept rocket fire on its citizens?
What is the magic number before enough is enough?
Perhaps there were not as many Israeli casualties because thousands of Israelis hid in underground bomb shelters or "safe" rooms in their homes whenever they heard the warning system of sirens announcing Palestinian rocket fire.
Others lived in those shelters whether or not the sirens sounded because they did not want to take the chance that they could not make it to a shelter with only a 15-second warning!
Israeli schools and businesses were closed. Civilians were told not to congregate or be in heavily populated areas.
• Perhaps there were not as many Israeli casualties because Israel does not use its civilians as human shields.
• Perhaps there were not as many Israeli casualties because Israel does not use its civilians as suicide bombers.
• Perhaps there were not as many Israeli casualties because Israel does not launch rockets from schools, mosques, hospitals and heavily populated areas.
And considering the "disproportionate" number of rockets, mortars and missiles fired from Gaza into Israel, over 10,000 in the last 8 years and over 7,000 since Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005 when Israel "disproportionately" gave up land for peace and received no peace, there have been a "disproportionate" number of miracles saving the Jewish people.
Thank you, Hashem (G-d).
As for the "disproportionate" use of force, I agree.
Hamas' alleged "amateur" rockets, mortars and missiles — filled with ball bearings, nails and other materials designed to explode and scatter everywhere in order to inflict the most pain and carnage — were disproportionately aimed at Israeli civilians as compared to Israeli weapons aimed at bombing stockpiles of Hamas weapons, tunnel, and the terrorist infrastructure.
There was also a disproportionate way in which the conflict was fought. Israel notified the civilians in Gaza by telephone and by pamphlets in advance while Israeli citizens never knew when the Palestinian rockets would fall.
Land Mass Disproportionate
What about the disproportionate size of Arab land to Jewish land in the Middle East?
There are approximately 13 1/2 million square miles of Arab land compared to 21 thousand square miles of Israel. And Israel's land includes Gaza and the West Bank, which the Palestinians claim as theirs.
What about the disproportionate numbers of Arab population to Jews in the Middle East?
There are approximately 292 million Arabs as compared to approximately 6 million Jews. In fact, Jews make up 1/2 of 1 percent of the world population. If there were to be proportionality when it comes to the number of deaths before Israel could protect its citizens, then one Israeli death would be a disproportionately large number in relation to its overall population.
The Sins of the United Nations
What about the disproportionate way in which the U.N. investigates Israeli practices affecting human rights, how it created a special committee to only investigate Israel while
the condoning terrorism against Israeli citizens, and how it makes Israel the only nation in the entire world that cannot serve on the Security Council, and ignores the abuse of human rights in the rest of the world?
What about the disproportionate number of thousands of prisoners Israel releases to the Palestinians and its Hizbullah neighbors in return for a few dead Israelis during a prisoner exchange?
This definitely has been a disproportionate conflict.
And it has been for the last 61 years in which Israel has tried to exist. But, it is disproportionate not in the sense the media sees it, but in actual reality it is disproportionate against Israel.
L'hitraot. Shachar
Shachar is the Hebrew name of a California-based attorney and former Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy who moved to Israel last year.