Reply #59: Pre-emptive strikes

[Gimel]

The PA reported an arrest, saying she was at an unauthorized entrance point into Israel and in possession of an explosives belt (by one account in the JPost, the Ha'aretz account didn't seem to mention an explosives belt). So it was, according to them, a pre-emptive arrest. However, they then claimed that while she had left a note about her intentions, she was released to her family. No name was ever supplied.

It does lack in supporting evidence. The JPost report says, that Israeli officials were doubting the truth in the claim, and that maybe the PA just wanted to create this to gain credit for terror prevention.

Interestingly, an actual suicide bomber exploded himself in an Israeli moshav community less than 24 hours later. Is that 1 out of 2 for the PA, or is it just lack of terror prevention period.

As for pre-emptive strikes, the extreme case, in which collateral damage or the deaths of innocent civilians, family members or employees is involved in strikes or attempted assassinations. Is it justified and under what conditions? Is the leader worth more in terms of lives saved? Is a leader of a terror group so important to kill, that collateral damage could be acceptable in view of the lives saved by eliminating him with his plans for attacks on civilian targets?