Israel Facing Terrorism

• Published in: Israel affairs 2005-01, Vol.11 (1), p.223-237
• Main Author: Merari, Ariel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Assassination; Border regions; Counterterrorism; Freedom of movement; Human rights; Internal security; Israel; Legal aspects; Political influences; Psychological factors; Public safety; Terrorism; War on terror
• ISSN: 1353-7121; 1743-9086
• DOI: 10.1080/1353712042000324535

Throughout its existence as a state, Israel has had to cope with intense terrorism in three arenas: within its territory, across the borders, and abroad. This problem has been a major political and psychological factor in Israel's reality and the need to cope with it has forced the public and governments to deal with hard dilemmas. This article examines Israel's conduct in the struggle against terrorism with regard to the choice between maintaining human rights on the one hand and insuring public safety on the other hand. Following a review of the nature of the basic problem that a democracy faces when it has to deal with political terrorism, the paper describes the physical and psychological characteristics of the threat that Israel has had to confront. The paper then turns to examine Israel's response, focusing on two controversial issues: collective punishment, as exercised in the demolition of houses and restrictions imposed on the adversary population's freedom of movement, and extra-judicial killing of terrorists. These measures are weighed in terms of their acceptability in a democratic country and their effectiveness as anti-terrorism policies.