I heard Newt Gingrich on Meet the Press the other day claim that because of Israels population, killing 8 of them would be like killing 500 Americans. This argument is ludicrous, as American lives aren't worth less just because there are more Americans. It's also inaccurate, as the ratio of Israel's population to the United States makes it more like 375 to 8.
In the current conflict the BBC estimates that 35 Israeli's have been killed. The number of Lebanese casualties is 750. How the governments of the United States and the UK can not join the rest of the world in calling for a cease fire is beyond me.
And by the way, with Gingriches math, Lebanon's smaller population means the 750 casualties is more like 1200.