halacha - Is Mossad Assasination allowed in Torah?

The Torah seems to allow many instances of killing. Genocide is sometimes okay if you give fair warning. So is the execution of a convicted murderer, or even those who break the Sabbath.

It does prohibit murder, and some say murder means "ninja like" killing. (You can be a samurai, but you can't be a ninja.)

This question is not asking whether it's morally wrong to assassinate terrorists. It's about whether it breaks G-d's commandment or not.

I am just wondering, is it allowed by Torah? If it's allowed, what does, "Thou shall not murder" mean anyway? It seems that all are fair game.

Does it simply mean not murdering fellow Jews?

Note: I am not asking whether jews are evil or not. I don't think so. At least not more than the rest of the world. I am just curious what the laws really mean.

Anyway, speaking of genocide:

Deuteronomy 20:10-14

 As you approach a town to attack it, first offer its people terms for peace.

If they accept your terms and open the gates to you, then all the people inside will serve you in forced labor. But if they refuse to make peace and prepare to fight, you must attack the town. When the LORD your God hands it over to you, kill every man in the town. But you may keep for yourselves all the women, children, livestock, and other plunder. You may enjoy the spoils of your enemies that the LORD your God has given you.

Now I understand that other tribes at that time were not more merciful either.

I am just curious on what kill/murder means in ten commandment. Does it apply to kittens too, for example?

My understanding is from biblical passages and answers around here:

So on what cases killing is okay and killing is not and well, the original question is whether mossad assassination is okay.

Again, I am not saying it's wrong. I understand the other side would pull the same thing too. I am just wondering if it's halakha or not.

Answer

I see several questions in your post. I'll try to answer them one by one.

what does, "Thou shall not murder" mean anyway?

It means that human life is holy, and Torah prohibits taking any human life. Pretty similar to how most people generally think about killing.

The Torah seems to allow many instances of killing

Original question author didn't ask about this, but for those reading this who do, currently there are two exceptions to the general rule of "Thou shall not murder":

1. Killing someone who is about to commit a murder.


2. Some rabbis's opinion is that war declaration is also permitted under some circumstances.

(At the time of Jewish kings and Sanhedrin court (B.C.E.), additional exceptions existed - the king could declare war and kill those violating his kingship, and the rabbinical court could kill someone in violation of certain Torah laws, and the genocide of one specific nation (Amalek, the seven nations in the land of Canaan) was allowed. Currently all those exceptions aren't in effect.)

You can be a samurai, but you can't be a ninja

From Torah point of view "brave" murder is no less murder than "treacherous" one.

Does it simply mean not murdering fellow Jews?

No, it doesn't. Killing people of any nation is forbidden.

Is Mossad Assasination allowed in Torah? :

1. 
   

   This question by itself is excellent. I don't even think there is a simple single answer, probably each case is individual. Clearly, there's a reason to consider it allowed because it is kind of self-defence, and there's also a reason not to allow such assasination because not always there's a proof that someone will commit murder and also I'm not sure if Torah permits killing a commander which is not going to kill anybody by himself but rather gives orders to others, but that's just two points in this rather complicated question.

   
   
   


2. 
   

   Mossad assasination has very little to do with Torah, as Mossad is not guided by Torah laws (at least not officially. There is still a possibility that some Mossad officers take Torah laws into account when making their decisions). Mossad reports to the Israeli government and is subject to laws of State of Israel, which have little to do with Torah laws.