QuoteProject
It's never acceptable to target civilians. It violates the Geneva Accords, it violates the international law of war and it violates all principles of morality.
Alan Dershowitz
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

Targeting civilians is morally and legally wrong in warfare.

This quote emphasizes the moral and legal imperative to protect civilians during armed conflicts. It asserts that attacking non-combatants not only breaches international laws like the Geneva Accords but also goes against fundamental ethical principles, underscoring the importance of maintaining humanity even in war.

Themes

CiviliansWarMoralityLawGeneva Accords

In practice

Example use cases

During a debate on international relations, to emphasize the importance of protecting human rights in warfare.

More from Alan Dershowitz

Ideas don't desert you; ideas aren't treasonous to you, but people can be.
Alan DershowitzRead
Ed Koch will never "rest in peace." That was not his way. He was always nervously squirming, while making others squirm as well. Comfort was not his goal. He understood that to be a proud and assertive Jew meant never being able to leave a sigh of relief and say "it's over, we are at peace, we can now put down our guard and relax."
Alan DershowitzRead
When I was growing up, my mother would always say, 'It will go on your permanent record.' There was no 'permanent record.' If there were a 'permanent record,' I'd never be able to be a lawyer. I was such a bum, in elementary school and high school... There is a permanent record today and it's called the Internet.
Alan DershowitzRead
A good lawyer knows how to shut up when he's won his case.
Alan DershowitzRead
Scientists search for truth. Philosophers search for morality. A criminal trial searches for only one result: proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
Alan DershowitzRead
Let no one ever shy away from the claim that Jews have power, that Jews have influence. We have learned the terrible lesson of history; that unless we have influence and power, disproportionate to our small numbers - immoral results will occur. We need power. And we must continue to use our power. Power which we earned, power which no one gave us on a silver platter, power which we worked hard for - use that power in the interests of justice.
Alan DershowitzRead

Similar quotes

As hypocrisy is said to be the highest compliment to virtue, the art of lying is the strongest acknowledgment of the force of truth.
William HazlittRead
Things do exist that are worth standing up for without compromise. To me it seems that peace and social justice are such things, as is Christ himself.
Dietrich BonhoefferRead
Indeed, organizing atheists has been compared to herding cats, because they tend to think independently and will not conform to authority.
Richard DawkinsRead
I said old Jesus probably would've puked if He could see it - all those fancy costumes and all. Sally said I was a sacrilegious atheist. I probably am. The thing Jesus really would've liked would be the guy who plays the kettle drums in the orchestra.
J. D. SalingerRead
Progress imposes not only new possibilities for the future but new restrictions. It seems almost as if progress itself and our fight against the increase of entropy intrinsically must end in the downhill path from which we are trying to escape.
Norbert WienerRead
I do not want to make my stomach a graveyard of dead animals.
George Bernard ShawRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.