Causes and consequenses of terrorism
Causes and Consequences of Terrorism in the Middle East Case Study: Israeli and Palestinian Conflict Terrorism is a broad and vague word used to describe or label any number of acts or people. ... After September 11th the term terrorism became the catch all phrase used to describe any act of rebellion with no degree of separation. The first task in any research with the word Terrorism imbedded in the title must be to define Terrorism, as the research would demand. For the purpose of continuity in research terrorism will be defined as; any harmful or potentially harmful act committed by any person or persons acting under the authority or guidance of a political or military organization against non-combatant civilians. However, from time to time the term “Terrorist acts against combatants” will be used as a form of Terrorism. This term is used in tandem with Terrorism because when persons attack militants with no declaration and or without markings clearly defining the person as a combatant that said person is not treated as an enemy solider but as a peaceful civilian. ... In a situation where there is no obvious delineation between civilian and enemy, any unconventional warfare or attack must be viewed as an act of Terrorism. ... This goes to the heart of the matter, in that long standing religious rights as well as an ethnic tie to the land are one of the root causes of the conflict. ... (Encarta) Examining the recent causes of escalation in terror beginning in September 2000 there are several theories on what sparked the increase in terrorism. ... (International War against Terrorism) Another prominent theory of the causes of violence is Israel’s “occupation” of the West bank and Gaza. This claim ignores events both before and after 1967- when Israel came into control of the territories in a war of self-defense-that prove it is not the “occupation” that has been the true cause of Palestinian terrorism (International War against Terrorism). In July 2000, a Middle East peace summit was held at Camp David hosted by US President Bill Clinton and attended by Palestinian authority (PA) Chairman Yasser Arafat and Prime Minister of Israel Ehud Barak (International War against Terrorism). The link between approaches to peace and terrorism are hard to ignore at best. ... When peace is close at hand the terrorism and violence increases. ... The Israeli government waited through eighteen months of widespread terrorism before launching Operation Desert Shield (International War against Terrorism). ... “Only Together Will We Stop Terror” ---Wearing unseasonably warm attire ---Protruding bulges in clothing ---Sweating, mumbling or fidgeting ---Avoiding police ---trying to fit into crowds (ERRI Counter- Terrorism Archive) What is the motive for Palestinian youths to end their life while taking countless others as well? ... In the Palestinian-Israeli struggle, terrorism followed the failure of Arab efforts at conventional warfare against Israel (Crenshaw). Are the Arabs turning toward terrorism in order to fight a war that can’t be won any other way? Much contemporary terrorism seems to be predicted on excessive resentment and extreme self-righteousness. Terrorists tend to believe that their causes---whether they stem from ethnic, religious, or ideological convictions—have under—minded, exploited, or betrayed by powerful forces internal or external to their nation. ... “No other law enforcement agency has the experience we have in dealing with terrorism within the constraints of a Western system of law and court systems (Lynfield). ... (Jones) There is no doubt that violence and terrorism will only come to mean fewer rights for the Palestinians and the dream of a Palestinian state becomes harder to achieve with every bomber.