NCJ Number
62163
Journal
JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS Volume: 32 Issue: 1 Dated: (SPRING/SUMMER 1978) Pages: 17-42
Date Published
1978
Length
16 pages
Annotation
A HISTORICAL VIEW OF THE PALESTINIAN RESISTANCE MOVEMENT IS PRESENTED, FOCUSING ON THE ENVIRONMENT, GOALS, AND STRATEGIES OF PALESTINIAN TERRORISTS.
Abstract
DESPITE INCONSISTENCY AMONG AND WITHIN PALESTINIAN ORGANIZATIONS REGARDING THE ROLE AND EFFICACY OF TERRORISM, VIOLENCE HAS BECAME A SIGNIFICANT ELEMENT OF THE PALESTINIAN RESISTANCE MOVEMENT, PARTICULARLY BETWEEN 1970 AND 1973. THE DILEMMA OF THE TWO NATIONALIST MOVEMENTS, ZIONISM AND PALESTINIAN AUTONOMY, IS THAT BOTH MOVEMENTS CLAIM THE SAME GEOGRAPHIC AREA, COMPRISED OF ISRAEL, THE GAZA STRIP, THE WEST BANK, AND A SMALL PORTION OF THE GOLAN HEIGHTS. ZIONISM AND PALESTINIAN RESISTANCE, THE CREATION OF ISRAEL AND THE 1948 WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST, THE EMERGENCE OF THE PALESTINIAN LIBERATION ORGANIZATION (PLO) AND THE RIVAL ORGANIZATION AL-PATCH, AND THE COMMITMENT OF THE PALESTINIAN RESISTANCE MOVEMENT TO A PEOPLE'S WAR ARE IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THE CONFLICT BETWEEN JEWS AND PALESTINIAN ARABS. THE TYPOLOGY DEVISED BY SHULTZ IS APPLIED TO ANALYZE THE USE OF TERRORISM BY THE PALESTINIAN RESISTANCE MOVEMENT. SHULTZ SUGGESTS THAT REVOLUTIONARY TERRORISM INVOLVES THE THREAT OF EMPLOYMENT OF EXTRANORMAL FORMS OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE TO EFFECT FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE IN THE POLITICAL SYSTEM. ACCORDING TO THIS TYPOLOGY, IT IS POSSIBLE TO CATEGORIZE PALESTINIAN RESISTANCE AS A REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT SINCE ITS ULTIMATE AIM IS TO SUPPLANT ZIONIST VALUES AND INSTITUTIONS WITH VALUES AND INSTITUTIONS DESIGNED TO ASSURE ARAB DOMINANCE. SIGNIFICANT CAUSES OF PLO TERRORIST ACTIVITIES ARE RELATIVE DEPRIVATION, THE CONSTANT STRUGGLE FOR POWER WITHIN THE PALESTINIAN RESISTANCE MOVEMENT, AND THE INCREASING EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ISRAELI COUNTERINSURGENCY PROGRAM INSIDE OCCUPIED AREAS AND ALONG BORDERS. OVER THE LONG TERM, TERRORISM, POLITICAL ACTION, AND GUERRILLA WARFARE ARE VIEWED BY PALESTINIANS AS WAYS TO ACHIEVE THE REVOLUTIONARY GOAL OF CREATING A DEMOCRATIC NONSECTARIAN STATE IN PALESTINE. IN THE SHORT TERM, SPECIFIC ACTS OF TERRORISM HAVE VARIOUS TACTICAL OBJECTIVES: PUBLICIZING ACTIVITIES OF THE PALESTINIAN RESISTANCE MOVEMENT AND ATTRACTING RECRUITS DEMONSTRATING THE ABILITY OF THE MOVEMENT TO CARRY OUT SUCCESSFUL ACTIONS IN DEFIANCE OF THE ENEMY DEMORALIZING AND DISCOURAGING SUPPORTERS OF THE GOVERNMENT PROVOKING ISRAEL TO ADOPT REPRESSIVE MEASURES AGAINST INNOCENT AND UNCOMMITTED ARABS, AND INDUCING AND ISRAEL TO RETALIATE AGAINST ARAB STATES AND THEREBY UNDERMINE DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE PEACE. STRATEGIES OF THE PALESTINIAN RESISTANCE MOVEMENT AND THE LOW LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION IN THE MOVEMENT ARE CONSIDERED. FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)