We’re hearing a lot about terrorism these days. There was a time when terrorism was universally condemned, but those days passed long before 2021, at least where Israel is concerned. How will the new US administration handle this issue?
If we’re going to talk about terrorism, we need to agree on its definition.
According to the US Intelligence community, terrorism is “Premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence an audience.” Israeli law defines a terrorist action as one that “is driven by political, religious, or ideological motive; carried out with the goal of instilling in the public fear or anxiety, or of forcing a government from taking certain actions ….to inflict severe harm.”
Palestinian Authority and Hamas Refuse to Define Terrorism
It’s notable that the Palestinian Authority and Hamas refuse to define terrorism— by remaining vague, they can perpetrate it unhindered.
Why does this matter? No country has endured more terrorist attacks than Israel, and this problem shapes much of Israeli life. Any American official should understand this before making policy decisions. As America sees a change of leaders after the election, it’s critical to understand their position on terrorism. Do they hold fast against it, or do they condone and justify it?
Some claim that attacks against Jewish citizens are justified, and based on Israel’s actions, but terrorism against Jews started long before the establishment of the modern state of Israel. There were the Arab riots against Jews in 1920, and the massacres of 1929 in Jerusalem/Hebron/Tzfat/Jaffa to name a few. Immediately after Israel was established, the attacks continued with the Fedayeen raids of 1949-1956, killing 1300. Arafat’s PLO (established in 1964) carried out thousands of attacks against Israelis, and continued with the Intifadas. These attacks are ongoing and unrelenting. Some call this violence “resistance” against Israel rather than terrorism, but the long history of attacks before the state was established points to another reason—Jew Hatred.
The More Jews They Kill, The More Money They Get
Terrorism against Jewish targets is unique because of the infamous “Pay to Slay” program. The Palestinian Authority pays its people to attack and kill Jews. The more Jews they kill, the more money they get. Payments go not just to the murderers, but to their families as well, and in perpetuity. We’ll have to see if the PA and the Biden administration can detour around the Taylor Force act, which bans funding for the PA until they cease Pay to Slay. The PA leadership is working to make cosmetic changes to Pay to Slay to facilitate Biden’s plans on providing them with funds, effectively enabling them to continue to pay their people to attack and kill Jews.
Biden’s Hires Are Cause For Concern
Biden’s hires also suggest a tolerance for terrorism. As just two examples, the new Senior Director for intelligence on the National Security Council (NSC), is Maher Bitar. He facilitated a student summit in which terrorism against Jews was praised. Hady Amr, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, was “inspired” by the Palestinian Intifada attacks against Jews. He is founding director of the Brookings Doha Center, whose single largest donor is Qatar, an ally of Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood, and a major state sponsor of the Islamic terrorist group Hamas.
It makes sense then, that Jew-Hating terrorists are pleased with the changes in American leadership. Terrorism may be overlooked, tolerated and condoned. This should worry anyone who cares about morality, Israel and the survival of the Jewish people. In the times ahead, we at NCCI will do everything we can to keep you informed. We will find avenues to take action against terrorism, with your help. Thank you for joining us.
