HEBRON, PALESTINE – Anger at terrorism is understandable, but that does not excuse violent retribution against the terrorists necessarily.
In this series we have featured more than a few terrorist incidents involving Israel and Palestine. In some, Israelis attacked Palestinians. In others the opposite was true. In all, innocent people died.
The conflict between the two parties seems intractable. It has been going on for a very, very long time and any ‘solution’, no matter how groundbreaking it appears at the time, fails to result in lasting peace. The sides keep fighting.
Atrocities abound on both sides. Any respect for human rights seems to be absent. On occasion, even those supposedly trained to rein in their emotions do things that may surprise you.
On this day in 2016
Israeli troops shot dead two Palestinians after they attacked a soldier in the West Bank: one soldier was detained after being shown on video firing a round into the head of one of the assailants as he lay on the ground. That member of armed forces was suspended from duty while Israeli military police hold a criminal investigation.
What happened in Hebron does not represent the values of the IDF. Israeli soldiers are expected to exercise restraint and follow open-fire regulations.
Israeli PM Netanyahu
What drove the soldier to shoot an unarmed terrorist is unclear: he was eventually convicted of manslaughter. All this just goes to show that when it comes to terrorism sometimes the rule book is cast aside.
Read More Today in Terrorism
May 31, 1906: Spanish anarchist bombs royal wedding
On May 31, 1906 a Spanish anarchist threw a bomb hoping to hit King Alfonso XIII, killing 24 and wounding more than 100.
May 30, 2009: Anti-government group bombs TV station in Ecuador
On May 30, 2009 two pamphlet-bombs exploded outside an Ecuadorian TV station and ministry: no victims or significant damage ensued.
May 29, 2016: ISIS uses chlorine gas in terrorist attack
On May 29, 2016 35 civilians were wounded in an ISIS attack using rockets containing chlorine gas in Iraq’s Nineveh Province.
2 replies on “March 24, 2016: Israeli soldiers execute Palestinian terrorists in the West Bank”
Hi Phil.
I think that opinions differ on the Palestinian retaliation to Israel’s occupation and aggressive expansion. This has been an ongoing issue in the West, with the way that we perceive the Middle Eastern conflict in particular, since the very founding of Israel. There are reasons for the animosity that the Palestinians, and Arabs across the Middle East in general, feel towards Israel, and by extension, the worldwide Jewish community.
I just do not think that “Terrorist” is a very accurate descriptor. Perhaps because of the high civilian population in Israel, it can be called “terror”. I would prefer the term “insurgency”, because the ultimate goal of these groups, in my estimation, is the accomplishment of objectives through military means, because those exact means have been used against them to put them into the position that they are now in.
Just my thoughts.
Again, David, thanks for taking the time to comment. You are right in that what terrorism is and is not is very complicated. The term is riven with emotion and controversy and that is why there is no agreement anywhere on what it means. I use the Canadian Criminal Code as that is what led me when I worked in security intelligence but I absolutely recognise that there are other views. Cheers!