Is Hamas Responsible?

After the roadside bombing killed an Israel soldier yesterday, Israel responded with immediate force and, earlier today, with bombings on smuggling tunnels around Gaza.

Israeli officials do not believe that Hamas planned the bombing, but believe that Hamas is responsible. Under “international law”, a country is responsible for an attack on another country by its citizens.

After September 11th, when Saudis attacked the United States, the US responded with attacks on Afghanistan (deserved it) and Iraq (probably didn’t deserve it). The US did not respond to Saudi Arabia.

The 2006 Lebanon War was a response to a non-government militia’s attacks on Israel. Israel did not advance beyond that militia’s area of operations, but did respond to the country where the attacks emanated from.

In the most recent bombing, Israel responded to an attack from Gaza with force in Gaza. I think it was the right thing to do, but many people disagree.

International Law, which is a joke in my opinion, says that an entire population cannot be held accountable for the actions of a few. However, a country is responsible for attacks that come from within its borders, even if the government does not sanction it.

How do you all feel about these “laws”? Was Israel right to respond?