Eritrea deserves credit for its patience over the last three years. That patience was a choice, not weakness. Eritreans have always defended their country, from the 30-year struggle for independence onward.
If the UN and the international community do not stop Ethiopia's threats, the damage will fall mainly on Ethiopia, not Eritrea. Eritrea's borders are tightly controlled. Ethiopia's federal government does not run Tigray and does not fully control Amhara or Afar. Prime Minister Abiy's real power appears to reach little beyond Addis Ababa.
The cost to ordinary people would be severe. Ethiopia is landlocked and depends on ports for food and fuel. The Djibouti route, including the railway and roads that carry most of its trade, could be badly damaged in a long civil war, possibly for years. Millions would suffer.
A war of choice will not unite Ethiopia. It could deepen its divisions and put at risk Addis Ababa's role as home of the African Union and Ethiopian Airlines.
Eritrea has shown restraint, but patience has limits. If the threats against its sovereignty continue, responsibility lies with those who made them.