Harsh State Repression as a Cause of Suicide Bombing: The Case of the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict

• NCJ Number: 222783
• Journal: Studies in Conflict & Terrorism Volume: 31 Issue: 4 Dated: April 2008 Pages: 284-303
• Author(s): Bader Araj
• Date Published: April 2008
• Length: 20 pages
• Grant Number(s): 410-2005-0026
• Sponsoring Agency: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Case Study
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Based on data collected from various sources, including interviews in 2006 with senior leaders of six Palestinian political organizations and close relatives and friends of Palestinian suicide bombers, this article argues that Israel's harsh repression of Palestinians is a major cause of suicide bombing.

Abstract

During the 1990s, when Israel's repression of Palestinians in occupied territories was relatively moderate, Palestinian public support for suicide bombing was low. Subsequent harsh state repression under Barak's government was a major factor underlying the significant increase in Palestinian public support for suicide bombing in the first few months of the second intifada; and repression under Sharon's government played a major role in keeping this support high. The effect of harsh repression that injured and/or killed regular Palestinian citizens and their family members was much more powerful in rallying public support for suicide bombing than relatively minor inconveniences caused by the Israeli military occupation. As this paper shows, taking revenge because of Israeli action against a bomber, somebody Palestinians knew, or against the Palestinians in general, was the main motivation for the majority of the suicide bombers in the second intifada. In addition, public support turned individual bombers into heroes and thus encouraged more volunteers. Palestinians interviewed viewed suicide bombing less as a means of achieving a balance of power between Israel and the Palestinians and more as a means of achieving a "balance of terror." It was a statement to Israel that if you are going to kill our innocent citizens, we are going to do the same to you. This suggests that Israel can reduce Palestinian suicide bombings by avoiding targeting civilians for repressive action and by arresting rather than assassinating Palestinian organizational leaders. 59 notes