THE ISRAEL PALESTINE CONFLICT AND USE OF TERRORISM 1

The Israel Palestine Conflict and Use of Terrorism

Fahed Shehub

Saint Leo University

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Abstract

The chapter “Terrorism in Israel and Palestine” focuses on the category of political terrorism

that has engulfed the two countries, the various factions and organizations involved with the

cause, a timeline of events, how terrorism, and the organizations associated with it, have

changed form and allegiance, and the methods used to encounter such terrorism. The term

terrorism has been defined in the context of both countries and the implications of terrorism

and related activities on a regional and global scale have been discussed. There is also a

discourse on the tactics used and the controversies associated with them. Finally, the shifting

aspects of the old situation with respect to new challenges, such as the rise of ISIS, have been

touched upon briefly. This last part of the chapter deals with the future possibilities into

which the Israel Palestine relation may morph itself. The reaction paper critically analyses the

aforementioned subjects and attempts to give a measured reaction on the status of conflict

and the use of terrorism to resolve the issues plaguing Israel and Palestine.

Keywords: Israel, Palestine, terrorism

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The Israel Palestine Conflict

The Israel Palestine Conflict has been a long standing cause of distress in the

region for both the Arabs and Jews and has spanned over more than a century. It began with

the migration of Jews during the Zionist movement to the land of Palestine which was then a

part of the Ottoman Empire. At the end of World War I, Britain gained control of Palestine

from the Ottoman Empire and the area came to be known as British-mandate Palestine. At

that time, both the Arabs and the Jews lived in that territory. The British grant of territory

resulting in the formation of Jordan led to intercommunal violence leaving scores of Jews and

Arabs dead. In November 1947, the United Nations General Assembly recommended the

partition of British-mandate Palestine into two separate states for Jews and for Arabs which

unleashed a fresh wave of violence. While the Jews proclaimed the state of Israel, the Arabs

refused to accept the proposition and fights began between the newly established Israel and

its Arab neighbours. The umbrella organization known as the Palestine Liberation

Organization (PLO) was set up at the initiative of other countries in the Arab League in 1964

(Clauset et al, 2010).

Use of Terrorism

Israelis tend to associate the origin of modern terrorism with the rise of the Palestine

Liberation Organization (PLO) and its leader Yasser Arafat (1929–2004). The conventional

narrative is that Palestinians began using terrorist attacks against Israel when it became

evident that Arab conventional forces could not defeat the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). The

other side of argument presents a diametrically opposite picture. Terrorism did not originate

with Palestinians; it began with two Zionist organizations in the 1930s—the Irgun Zvai

Leumi and the more militant Stern Gang. The future Israelis abandoned terrorism only when

they turned to Israel’s War of Independence (1948–1949). From this perspective, Israelis use
THE ISRAEL PALESTINE CONFLICT AND USE OF TERRORISM 4

terrorism as a tool for repression. Proponents of this argument point to Israel’s everyday

treatment of Palestinians and the massive casualties inflicted by the better armed IDF (White,

2017).

Through the author’s text, the two vastly different sides are quite clear. What is not

clear, however, is which side is correct- politically, ethically, and so on. The UN mandate

failed to effectively create two states for the Jews and Arabs causing displacement of

multitudes of Palestinians living in the disputed territory. This was certainly a cause of

misery for the Palestinians coupled with the treatment they got as “second class population.”

The author sketches the events of the Fatah and the 6 Day War wherein the Israeli Defence

Forces took the West Bank of the Jordan River, Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, the Sinai

Peninsula, and the Gaza Strip. The rise of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) with

Yasser Arafat at his helm is detailed. In the narrative of the chapter, the author does not

specify what inspired Israel to make a move for the 6 Day War in the first place. There are no

facts or speculation regarding the same. Further division of the PLO led to the Black

September group being formed that held hostage and murdered the Israeli athletes

participating in the Olympics at Germany. Since the terrorist group was based in Lebanon, it

led to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon.

New groups formed after the 1982 invasion of Lebanon. Unable to tolerate Israel’s

presence in the area, the Syrians rallied all local militias and accepted help from Iran. An

Iranian-backed group, Hezbollah, began forming in Lebanon. A popular uprising in 1987,

the Intifada, gave rise to a new group, Hamas which challenged the PLO for power (White,

2017). Multiple groups rose up in the wake of the conflict, namely, Hamas, Hezbollah, Force

17, Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP),

Fatah, Palestine Liberation Front (PLF) and so on. Details about these groups have been
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enumerated by the author. These are succinct and illuminating to a student of terrorism and

counter terrorism.

Methods of Terrorism and Counter Terrorism

It is important to know precisely which actions have been taken by each party in the

conflict that have been categorically termed terrorism by the other. The many splinter groups

of the Palestine movement have retaliated with militia and their terrorist actions have

included, rocket attacks and the most devastating of all, suicide bombers. The Israeli

retaliation has been firm and even excessive. The author gives a balanced view point on how

while the Israeli nationalists call the actions self defence, the observers point out that the

excessive use of force is overkill and the casualties are beyond justification. The Israeli

methods of bulldozing, building the wall, invasion of Lebanon have been effective, yet

questionable. The selected targeting and wholesale assassination of the Hamas leadership is

controversial but may be more acceptable if the Israeli judiciary were involved (Byman,

2006).

Conclusion

While strong tactics are needed to counter terrorism, the way forward is steeped in

darkness unless negotiations and dialogue are called into play. Israel holds the upper hand as

has been clearly demonstrated by its victories time and again. However, the political

terrorism and extremism will continue unless Israel recognizes the Palestinian statehood. On

the other hand, organizations such as Hamas have developed into political rather than terrorist

organizations that hold the power to change the future of the Palestinian people if only they

could drop their agenda of eradicating Israel and approach for dialogues. The advent of ISIS

has changed the equations in the region and the two countries face an enemy greater than
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their own rivalry. The peace can only be restored in the region of strife though a consolidated

effort between these regions.

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References

1. Clauset, A., Heger, L., Young, M., & Gleditsch, K. S. (2010). The strategic calculus

of terrorism: Substitution and competition in the Israel—Palestine

conflict. Cooperation and Conflict, 45(1), 6-33.

2. http://pov-tc.pbs.org/pov/pdf/promiese/promises-timeline.pdf

3. Angeli, E., Wagner, J., Lawrick, E., Moore, K., Anderson, M., Soderlund, L., &

Brizee, A. (2010, May 5). General format. Retrieved from

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

4. White, J.R. (2017). Terrorism and homeland security (9th ed.). Belmont, CA:

Wadsworth Cengage Learning.