Like all military missions, Operation Protective Edge raises several legal questions. The legal aspects of the operation are relevant to the deliberations of decision makers at the practical level as well as to the public discourse in Israel and abroad. However, issues touching on the legality of Israel’s actions are not synonymous with issues concerning the legitimacy of these actions in the international arena, and legal actions may still be deemed illegitimate. It is therefore important to distinguish between the two realms and understand what divides them.
