Yes, you're quite right on the second point. In fact I believe that in
French law, individuals can be prosecuted for not intervening in such
events. However, even when the intervention is physical, there are ways and
ways of doing this. It is one thing for an individual who witnesses a man
beating someone up to interpose himself, and another for one country to
bombard another in order to pursue specific individuals, in the process of
which innocent civilians are killed. (I just read on The Times website that
America is rethinking its "over-sensitive" policy on collateral damage). Re
your first point, what harm would it have done for the USA to pump some cash
into the Palestinian economy, or offered help with infrastructure etc? All
the best, Nicky Hamlyn.
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