The Impact of Jewish Terrorism in Palestine/Israel: both Historically and Today

The History of Israel is unfortunately a violent one. Terrorism in or out of Israel  is not confined to the Intifada’s of the Palestinians or the current global Islamic Jihad, nor is it confined to any one specific religion, ideology or political movement. Jewish terrorism also is a factor in the holy land. Jewish Terrorism has both ancient and contemporary roots, the Sicarians in ancient Rome, the Irgun/Lehi and others in the Palestine-Mandate era and now from right-wing Jewish extremists who assassinated a Prime Minister, committed acts of terror against civilians, and establish illegal settlements in the Palestinian Territories.

Ancient History

            The history of terrorism in Israel is a long reaches back to the First Century C.E. during the Roman occupation. The Sicarians, named for the dagger they used (Pedahzur & Perliger, 2009), are the earliest identifiable Jewish terrorist organization. A resistance movement opposed to Roman occupation of Judea they were involved in kidnappings, assassinations, and asymmetric warfare. These acts were intended to provoke aggression by the Roman garrison against the local populace, in turn fomenting rebellion against Rome (Pedahzur & Perliger, 2009). The Sicarians most notable moment in history was the occupation of the fortress at Masada. The story of the siege by Roman Procurator Flavius Silva, and the alleged mass suicide of the Masada garrison, including their families are well known (Pedahzur & Perliger, 2009). Some evidence indicates it may in fact have been a mass homicide carried out by the male members of the garrison, killing their own family members, with a smaller squad sized element (approximately 10 men) killing the rest in turn. Interestingly the Apostle Judas may have been a member of the Sicarians, his family name; Iscariot may be a variation of the word sicarii, a reference to the preferred weapon of the Sicarians, at least according to one theory presented in a History Channel documentary about the life of the Apostles. 

Palestine Mandate Era

            During the era of the British Mandate (1919-1948) several Jewish terrorist organizations developed. These groups arose out of the violence between Palestinians and Jews, and attempts by the Mandate government to manage the conflict, and their restriction of Jewish immigration to Palestine (Pedahzur & Perliger, 2009). The most notable of these terrorist organizations were the: Haganah/ Palmach, Irgun, and the Lehi also called the “Stern gang (Pedahzur & Perliger, 2009).

            The Haganah/Palmach was initially created as the paramilitary defense service of the Jewish communities in pre-Israeli Palestine (Wagner, 2008), the most organized of these organizations and the one that comes closest to a legitimate “resistance” force. Composed of Air, Marine, Intelligence sections and regional commands the Haganah was in some ways a blueprint for the Israeli Defense Forces (Pedahzur & Perliger, 2009). The Haganah had a “left” leaning political identity; the Palmach was part of the Haganah and often contained the best trained military members from the Haganah (Pedahzur & Perliger, 2009).

            The Irgun, a right wing group was less trained or organized than the Haganah. Formed in 1931 after a political disagreement by some of the then serving Haganah officers, due to the leftist-leaning politics in that organization (Wagner, 2008).

            The Lehi, formed by former Irgun member, Avraham Stern, was the smallest of the three, composed at its height of approximately 800 members (Neff, 2006). They were not a disciplined force and while all three engaged in terrorism, the Stern Gang was the most brutal. Going further to the right than the Irgun, the Lehi was influenced by European fascism and is known to have “shared Hitler’s totalitarian ideology” (Neff, 2006), and “openly celebrated Nazi victories” (Neff, 2006). At least until they had a better understanding of the homicidal, anti-Semitic of the Third Reich  (Pedahzur & Perliger, 2009).

            These organizations were involved in many terrorist attacks during the mandate era, some of the most notable were: The King David Hotel bombing in 1946 (Wagner, 2008), assassination of UN Security Council Member Swedish Count Folke-Bernadotte in 1948 (Pedahzur & Perliger, 2009), and the grisly but largely unheard of (in the West) massacre in the village of Deir Yassin (Hogan, 2001).

            The village of Deir Yassin was located just outside of Jerusalem, it was an Arab village that ironically had established an agreement to refrain from violence with neighboring Jewish villages (Hogan, 2001) , and had provided intelligence to the Haganah and cooperated during the Haganah’s taking of the strategic Sherafa Ridge (Hogan, 2001). The Deir Yassin Massacre was chiefly an Irgun and Lehi operation, with some assistance from the better trained Palmach. The Deir Yassin attack was intended as a revenge operation for acts committed by Arabs in previous engagements. No Arabs from Deir Yassin were ever identified as having taken part in any anti-Zionist combat or terrorist activities. The Irgun and Lehi officers were intent on spreading fear among the Arab population by “liquidating all the men of the village and any other force that opposed them,” (Hogan, 2001). In fact the attack became an uncontrolled massacre, with Irgun and Lehi operatives killing anyone in the village, including non-combatant men, women, children and at least two documented stabbings of pregnant women (Hogan, 2001) many of whom were offering no resistance. The village had a watch-system as part of their attempt to both maintain security and insure compliance with the non-aggression agreement with the Haganah. There were a few armed men, most likely members of the village watch, which resisted (their right to do so as they were attacked while compliantly in their village). The resistance, such as it was, stopped or slowed down for a time the amateur irregulars of the combined Irgun/Lehi attacking force. The Deir Yassin resistance was eventually eliminated by a unit from the Palmach who briefly arrived and finished them with house to house fighting. Prisoners were taken, however many prisoners did not make it and were executed, some by formal firing squad (Hogan, 2001), many were just shot for no apparent purpose but to satisfy the victors blood-lust (Hogan, 2001), an eye-witness Meir Pa’il stated, “groups of armed guerrillas, eyes glazed running about full of lust for murder” (Pedahzur & Perliger, 2009). There was some evidence of the female villagers being raped (Hogan, 2001) although due to the stigma associated with sexual abuse in Arab culture not enough evidence has been collected to identify the extent of sexual abuse at Deir Yassin (Hogan, 2001).

            The death toll has been given as 254 (Hogan, 2001), however in recent research indicates the number killed was likely no higher than 140 (Hogan, 2001). The number for wounded is given at between 50 and 70. In typical battle conditions these numbers would be reversed, with more wounded than killed.

            The Irgun and Lehi both intended to make a statement with this assault, by killing the men in the village, and sowing fear among the Arabs in general. This would have been enough to qualify the attack as an act of terror, however given the bad quality of the under-trained “troops” under Irgun/Lehi command that day a massacre was almost inevitable.

Jewish terrorism in Israel today

            There have been multiple issues with Jewish terrorism in recent years in Israel. While the focus on terrorism in the Holy Land is on the stone-throwers of the Intifada, suicide-bombers and rockets from Hamas, or Hezbollah, however Jewish extremism and accompanying acts of terrorism not only continue but are on the rise. Islamic extremism and Palestinian national identity movements are certainly a serious danger to Israel extremists. Jewish terrorism is also a rising danger to the safety of both the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, and to the Israeli state itself, as these issues impact the Palestinian-Israeli conflict there is a ripple effect that may be felt globally.

            The settler movement is a combination of right-wing extremism and Jewish religious zealotry. There are continuing clashes between armed settlers and unarmed Palestinian villagers. The Jewish settlers are often, although not always, backed by the IDF and the Israeli legal establishment. The settlers in the Hebron region of the West Bank ascribe to a philosophy of complete separation between Arabs and Israelis, and for settlement of the whole of Eretz Israel (land of Israel) which would include the Sinai, and the country of Jordan.

             A man named Meir Kahane, a rabbi who had established the Jewish Defense League in New York in 1968, and some of his followers had relocated to Israel where they were initially welcomed by other Zionist organizations but ultimately re-buffed by the more established political and religious Zionist movements such as the Gush Emunim. Rabbi Kahane felt a close kinship to the right wing Herut movement headed by Menachim Begin, Kahane felt betrayed when Begin signed the peace accords between Israel and Egypt, this marked a turning point where Kahane and his followers turned away from the State of Israel and created a mental image of a new kingdom of Judea that would someday replace modern Israel..

            The Kahanist movement also referred to as the Kach, were involved in many terror operations. The affair in the Sinai in 1982 where Kahanist followers threatened suicide if the IDF implemented evacuation plans in accordance with the agreement between Israel and Egypt is an example of the level of commitment of the movements members. Kahane, who was out of town, was actually called in by the army to talk the would-be suicidal “martyrs” out of following through on the threat of suicide. Several incidents with a sub-group of Kahanists called the Committee for the Safety of the Roads, often targeted Palestinians in the refugee camps, and put the Kahanists at odds with the IDF who were often forced to disperse them with tear gas and rubber bullets.

            One of the worst episodes of Jewish terrorism in Israeli history was committed by a Kahanist and close personal friend of Meir Kahane.

            On a February morning Dr. Baruch Goldstein a physician and reserve medical officer in the IDF entered a holy site in Hebron called the Cave of the Patriarchs, revered by Jews and Muslims alike.  Wearing his IDF uniform Dr. Goldstein opened fire with a Galil automatic rifle on unarmed Palestinians praying in the cave. Using a combination of gunfire and grenade attacks, he killed 29, and wounded 125 Palestinians, the attack continued until Goldstein was overwhelmed while re-loading his Galil, and beaten to death with a fire extinguisher by some others in the cave who were unwounded. This incident set off a chain reaction of confrontation throughout the West Bank resulting in the death of 20 more Palestinians and 120 more wounded. The response by the Palestinians to the massacre at the Cave of the Patriarchs while not in response to a sanctioned government operation does in some ways resemble the “boomerang effect” described by Boaz Ganor in his book the Counter-Terrorism Puzzle (Ganor, 2005).

            Rabbi Kahane was eventually assassinated leading to his followers committing several reprisal attacks against random Palestinians having no involvement in his murder. The followers of Kahane were following the idea of Halakha or Jewish Law, and a desire to return to an earlier time of a traditional Jewish/Judean kingdom, the occupation of additional lands, violent retribution against the “infidel” Palestinians, along with the decentralization of their violent movement, makes them in many ways similar to the members of the Salafist inspired Global Jihad.

            The Gush Emunim was the earlier religious-extremist settler movement. Gush Emunim, Hebrew for bloc of faithful, consisting of religious-Zionist members who wished to settle all of the lands of Eretz Israel, the organization ceased to exist in the 1980’s. Members were involved in aborted plots to blow up the mosques on the Temple Mount; other members were involved in the massacre at the Islamic college (Pedahzur & Perliger, 2009).

            The Islamic College in Hebron was attacked in July 1983. Members of the Gush Emunim, also called the Jewish Underground attacked the college using small-arms and hand grenades, killing three and wounding thirty-three more (Pedahzur & Perliger, 2009).

Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin P.M. of Israel

            On November 4^th, 1995 the Prime Minister of Israel was assassinated. The assassination took place at close range by a pistol wielding religious-Zionist named Yigal Amir (Pedahzur & Perliger, 2009). Amir was angry over the signing of the Oslo Peace Accords and he and his comrades wished to strike out at the man and the state that they felt sold out their vision of Jewish statehood. While he did act alone on the day of the assassination he was supported by a network of fellow extremists who were part of the Jewish settler movement (Pedahzur & Perliger, 2009). This was the first time an Israeli head of state was assassinated and also represents the first major instance of open defiance by Israeli Jews directed at the state of Israel. Amir was immediately arrested, every member of his cell was arrested shortly thereafter (Pedahzur & Perliger, 2009).

            The Settler movement continues and is very active in Hebron, however is not exclusive to Hebron. Clashes between settlers and Palestinians are on the increase, and appear to be occurring weekly if not daily. IDF General Avi Mizrahi stated, “That unchecked Jewish terror against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank threatens to plunge the territory into another conflict” (Stewart, 2011). General Mizrahi goes on to say “What's happening in the field is terrorism; it needs to be dealt with" (Stewart, 2011). Additionally the General states “The Israel Defense Forces fears terrorism against Palestinians is likely to ignite the territories" (Stewart, 2011). Even the far-right government of Binyamin Netanyahu has had concerns about the violence and extremism of the settler movement. “Following the arrest of a West Bank settler suspected of multiple murders and bomb attacks, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel must fight the terror posed by violent extreme rightists, whom he termed a "marginal minority,” (Haaretz Service, 2009).

            In the West bank town of Nablus more attacks by settlers against the Palestinians were reported today the 27^th of May, 2012. Settlers from the illegal Yitzhar settlement on Palestinian lands south of Nablus burning dozens of acres of farmland planted with olive trees, fruits, and vegetables (Bannoura, 2012) (Bannoura, 2012). Clashes erupted between the settlers and Palestinian villagers, with troops from the IDF intervening (Bannoura, 2012). However IDF soldiers are often sympathetic to the settlers and in this case there are reports of IDF troops moving into other villages in the surrounding areas and arresting Palestinians (Bannoura, 2012). The cause for these arrests is unclear; however the instigation is due to the confrontations provoked by the Israeli settlers.

Conclusion

            Jewish Terrorism has a long history, while mostly confined to the lands of Palestine/Israel it has been as dangerous and de-stabilizing as any brand of terrorism before or since. In the days of the Palestinian-British mandate the Lehi, Irgun, and Haganah directly influenced the British decision to leave Palestine (Pedahzur & Perliger, 2009).

            Today Jewish right-wing extremists are pushing the settler agenda and threatening what is left of the peace between Israel and the Palestinians. The Oslo accords might as well have never been signed. Like all extremists a shift from the radical ideology is necessary in order to defeat them. The current wave of Jewish terrorism may still be manageable given its relative size and containment in Israel. However the Israeli government must stop coddling the settlers and playing to their agenda. This conflict has global ramifications as the treatment of Palestinians by Israel, and acceptance of the Israeli government’s policies toward the Palestinians by the US is a key motivation for recruitment to the global Islamic jihad. The reduction of the dispute between the Israelis, and the Palestinians is a key component to reducing the global war on terror.  

                                                           

                                                            References

Bannoura, S. (2012, May 27). Settlers Attack Villages Near Nablus, Resident Wounded. Retrieved from International Middle East media center: http://www.imemc.org/article/63581

Ganor, B. (2005). The Counter-Terrorism Puzzle. Piscataway: Transaction Publishers.

Haaretz Service. (2009, November). Netanyahu: 'Minority' of violent far-rightists must be stopped. Retrieved from Haaretz web site: http://www.haaretz.com/news/netanyahu-minority-of-violent-far-rightists-must-be-stopped-1.4995

Hogan, M. (2001). The 1948 massacre at Deir Yassin revisited. Retrieved from APUS Online Library: ebscohost.com

Neff, D. (2006). Hamas: A pale image of the Jewish irgun and lehi gangs. Washington report on middle east affairs . Retrieved from APUS Online Library: ebscohost.com

Pedahzur, A., & Perliger, A. (2009). Jewish terrorism in Israel . New York: Columbia University Press.

Stewart, C. (2011, July). Jewish settlers are terrorising Palestinians, says Israeli general. Retrieved from The Independent: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/jewish-settlers-are-terrorising-palestinians-says-israeli-general-2315435.html

Wagner, S. (2008). British intelligence and the Jewish resistance movement in the Palestine mandate,1945-46 . Intelligence and National Security, 629-657.