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Home » Global Affairs »
Israel's State Terrorism
By Lev Grinberg, AlterNet
April 1, 2002
What is the difference between state terrorism and individual terrorist acts?
If we understand this difference, we'll understand also the evil nature of US
policies in the Middle East and the forthcoming disasters. When Yassir Arafat
was put under siege in his offices and kept hostage by the Israeli occupation
forces, he was constantly pressed into condemning terror and combating
terrorism. Israel's state terrorism is defined by US officials as "self-
defense", while individual suicide bombers are called terrorists.
The only "small" difference is that Israeli aggression is the direct
responsibility of Ariel Sharon, Benjamin Ben Eliezer, Shimon Peres and Shaul
Mofaz, while the individual terrorist acts are done by individuals in
despair, usually against Arafat's will. One hour after Arafat declared his
support of a cease fire and wished the Jews a Happy Passover feast, a suicide
bomber exploded himself in an hotel in Netanya, killing 22 innocent Jews
celebrating Passover. Arafat was blamed as responsible for this act, and the
present IDF offensive has been justified through this accusation.
At the same time, Sharon's responsibility for Israeli war crimes is being
completely ignored. Who should be arrested for the targeted killing of almost
100 Palestinians? Who will be sent to jail for the killing of more than 120
Palestinian paramedics? Who will be sentenced for the killing of more than
1,200 Palestinians and for the collective punishment of more than 3,000,000
civilians during the last 18 months? And who will face the International
Tribunal for the illegal settlement of occupied Palestinian Lands, and the
disobedience of UN decisions for more than 35 years?
Suicide bombs killing innocent citizens must be unequivocally condemned; they
are immoral acts, and their perpetrators should be sent to jail. But they
cannot be compared to state terrorism carried out by the Israeli Government.
The former are individual acts of despair of a people that sees no future,
vastly ignored by an unfair and distorted international public opinion. The
latter are cold and "rational" decisions of a State and a military apparatus
of occupation, well equipped, financed and backed by the only superpower in
the world.
Yet in the public debate, state terrorism and individual suicide bombs are
not even considered as comparable cases of terrorism. The State terror and
war crimes perpetrated by the Israeli Government are legitimized as "self-
defense", while Arafat, even under siege, is demanded to arrest "terrorists."
I want to ask: Who will arrest Sharon, the person directly responsible for
the orders to kill Palestinians? When is he going to be defined a terrorist
too? How long will the world ignore the Palestinian cry that all they want is
freedom and independence? When will it stop neglecting the fact that the goal
of the Israeli Government is not security, but the continued occupation and
subjugation of the Palestinian people?
As Israelis in the opposition, we are fighting against our government, but
the international support that Sharon receives is constantly jeopardizing our
struggle. The whole international public opinion must be reverted, and the UN
must deploy intervention forces in order to stop the bloodshed and the
imminent deterioration. Israelis and Palestinians desperately need the
awakening of the international community's public opinion and a reversal in
the global attitude. These are needed both in order to save our lives
(literally), and preserve our hope in a better future.
Dr. Lev Grinberg is a political sociologist, and Director of the Humphrey
Institute for Social Research at Ben Gurion University.
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