Haaretz's Take on Terrorism

It is a bit weird to read about terrorism at a newspaper from a country that is considered to be involved in what is widely seen as state sponsored terrorism.

I could have dismissed the whole thing but right off the bat the author places ETA among his list of terrorist organizations, a list that does not include the Irgun nor the Israeli Defence Forces. And well, this is simply unacceptable.

Now, despite his obvious bias which blinds him from seeing all the carnage that the Zionists have visited upon the region due to their nightmarish obsession with an expantionist Jewish state, the article does contain a few good things.

Example:

2. 'One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.'

More of a half-truth than an out and out lie, given the propensity of supporters of one side to explain and forgive atrocities committed by that side, while condemning and often exaggerating atrocities committed by the other.

It is worth noting that definitions of terrorism are legion and agreement is rare.

For the purposes of this piece, however, we will use a formula contained within a UN report issued last year, which defined terrorism as any action: "intended to cause death or serious bodily harm to civilians or non-combatants with the purpose of intimidating a population or compelling a government or an international organization to do or abstain from doing any act."

For the purpose of this piece, therefore, we will declare that any side which intentionally attacks non-combatants is practicing terrorism.

With Melitón Manzanas, Admiral Carrero Blanco and all the Guadia Civil elements targeted by ETA this definition makes ETA commandos into freedom fighters.

3. All resistance to illegal occupation is legitimate.

Intentional attacks on innocents are inherently illegitimate

How about Durango and Gernika? And the GAL?

8. 'The objective of the [(check one) war / incursion bombing campaign / liquidation raid] in [Lebanon / Gaza / northern Samaria] is the swift release of the kidnapped soldier/s.'

There is little persuasive evidence that the kidnappers of IDF soldiers can be bombed, assassinated, or otherwise militarily pressured into agreeing to release the captives they hold.

There is more than circumstantial evidence to suggest that the kidnapping may become a pretext for military action aimed at attacking an organization which engages both in guerrilla activity and in terrorism, with Hamas and Hezbollah the primary illustrations.

Whoa!

Finally, hidden in the entire article a pearl of truth. This paragraph tells us that yes, what Israel did in Lebanon can be considered terrorism.

9. 'If there were no occupation, there would be no terrorism.'

It is debatable whether this statement fits better into the status of a lie or a contention. It is, in any event, an argument which has lost much of its power in the wake of the pull-out from the Gaza Strip. Within days, evacuated settlements were used as launching pads for rocket attacks that markedly increased terrorist attacks against southern Israel.

Uh oh, back to the bias. Israel left the Gaza Strip but there is plenty of kibbutzim in the West Bank, ergo, the occupation continues.

10. 'Terrorism is the only defense of oppressed peoples against the vastly better equipped oppressor.'

On the surface, terrorism seems to work, despite its moral failings. But in the case of the Gaza withdrawal, hailed by Hamas as the Great Victory of Resistance, it may be persuasively argued that Israel would have withdrawn from the Strip years, perhaps even decades before, had terror groups not worked to foil every attempt at a peace agreement.

The fact is that Israelis were trying to find a formula to leave Gaza for years. There were even many in the settlement movement who viewed Gaza as a distinct liability to the wider cause.

One thing is certain - terrorism is self-destructive on the broadest levels. It has cost the Palestinians their once-broad support in Israel and around the world for the swift creation and recognition of an independent Palestine.

Terror attacks following the disengagement have persuaded most Israelis that further withdrawals would be mistaken.

Terrorism, particularly the concept of suicide bombing, has tarnished the Palestinians' good name in the world, and their image of David in the contemporary Goliath myth.

There are many diplomatic, political and public relations alternatives to terror. Had the Palestinians focused on them and not on the armed struggle, they would have had statehood long ago.

What a lie, the whole world supports the Palestinian right to statehood, if it was not for the USA there would be a Palestinian state as we speak.

Oh yes, this is supposed to be an experiment, so if you want to be part of it go check out the article "The 10 most useful lies about terrorism".

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