Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Palestinian Istishhadia : A Developing Instrument

2007; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 30; Issue: 8 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/10576100701435761

1521-0731

Yoram Schweitzer,

Middle East and Rwanda Conflicts

Abstract This article delineates and analyzes the phenomenon of the Palestinian suicide bombing campaign. Two central and distinct periods are proposed in the article in reference to this phenomenon; the first spans from 1993–2000 and the second from 2000 onward. The two periods are differentiated by an increased level of intensity in the second period, an enlarged number of participating organizations and volunteers that occurred following the blockade of the peace process that was initiated through the Oslo Accords. This article examines several aspects of Palestinian suicide terrorism including manners of recruitment, persuasion, modus operandi, and concurrently, it observes the Israeli countermeasures and their ramifications. Notes 1. Amos Harel and Avi Isacharoff, The Seventh War: How We Won and Why We Lost the War with the Palestinians (Tel-Aviv: Yedi’ot Aharonot & Hemed Books, 2006). (Hebrew) 2. Raviv Druker and Ofer Shelah, Boomerang: The Failure of Leadership in the Second Intifada (Jerusalem: Keter Publishing, 2005). (Hebrew) 3. Shlomi Eldar, Eyeless in Gaza (Tel-Aviv: Yedi’ot Aharonot & Hemed Books, 2005). (Hebrew) 4. Anat Berko, The Path to Garden of Eden (Jerusalem: Miskal-Yedioth Aharonot Books and Chermel Books, 2004). (Hebrew) 5. Bruce Hoffman, “The Logic of Suicide Terrorism,” Atlantic Monthly, 291(5) (June 2003). 6. Mia Bloom, Dying to Kill—The Allure of Suicide Terror (New York: Columbia University Press, 2005). 7. Mohammed Haffez, Manufacturing Human Bombs: Strategy, Culture, and Conflict in the Making of Palestinian Suicide Bombers (Washington, DC: United States Institute of Peace, 2006). 8. Ami Pedahzur and Arie Perlinger, “The Changing Nature of Suicide Attacks: A Social Network Perspective,” Social Forces 84(4) (2006), pp. 1988–2008. 9. Assaf Moghaddem, “Palestinian Terrorism in the Second Intifada: Motivation and Organizational Aspects,” Studies in Conflict & Terrorism 26(2) (2003), pp. 69–70. 10. Robert A. Pape, Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism (New York: Random House, 2005). 11. Scott Atran, “The Moral Logic and Growth of Suicide Terrorism,” The Washington Quarterly 29(2) (2006), pp. 127–147. 12. Nasra Hassan, “An Arsenal Of Believers Talking to the Human Bombs,” The New Yorker, 19 November 2001. 13. The source of the statistical data included in this article is a database maintained by the author at the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies, Tel Aviv University. 14. The reader is referred to the excellent article of Dr. Assaf Moghadam that deals with the definition of suicide bombing and warmly embraces his call for a clear definition in an analytical article. See “Root Causes of Suicide Terrorism—The Globalization of Martyrdom,” edited by Ami Pedahzur (London: Routledge, 2006) pp.13–24. 15. Interviews by author with Nasser Abu Hmeid, Fatah, January 2006 and December 2005. 16. Interview by author with Nasser Harun, 23 March 2005, and with Zaher Jabarin, 1 June 2005. 17. Interview by author with Nasser Issa, March 30, 2005. 18. Interview by author with Zaher Jabarin, Hamas, 1 June 2005, and with Nasser Isa, Hamas, 22 March 2005. 19. Interview by author with Nasser Issa, Hamas, 30 March 2005. 20. Interview by author with Nassr Issa, Hamas, 22 March 2005, and with Hassan Salame, Hams, 16 January 2006. 21. Amos Harel and Avi Isacharoff, The Seventh War: How We Won and Why We Lost the War with the Palestinians (Tel-Aviv: Yedi’ot Aharonot & Hemed Books, 2004) (Hebrew), see, for example, pp. 54–58. 22. Interviews by author with Nasser Abu Hmeid, Fatah, January 2006 and December 2005. 23. Interview by author with Nasser Issa, Hamas, 23 November 2005. 24. Shlomi Eldar, Eyeless in Gaza (Tel-Aviv: Yedi’ot Aharonot & Hemed Books, 2005) (Hebrew), p. 301. 25. Interview by author with Nihad Abu Kishak, Hamas, 17 January 2005, and with Abbas Sayid, 10 January 2005. 26. Interview by author with Nasser Abu Hmeid, Fatah, 3 January 2006. 27. See Raviv Druker and Ofer Shelah, Boomerang: The Failure of Leadership in the Second Intifada (Jerusalem: Keter Publishing, 2005), pp. 151–174. (Hebrew) 28. Interview by author with Abbas Sayed, Hamas, January 10, 2005 29. See Anne Speckhard, “Understanding Suicide Terrorism: Countering Human Bombs and Their Senders,” in Topics in Terrorism: Toward a Transatlantic Consensus on the Nature of the Threat (Vol. I), eds. Jason S. Purcell and Joshua D. Weintraub (Washington, D.C.: Atlantic Council Publication, 2005), pp. 1–22. 30. This phenomenon is not unusual in other organizations and networks as well, especially among AQ and its affiliates, as was indicated by other scholars. See Marc Sageman, Understanding Terror Networks (University Park, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2004) and Ami Pedahzur and Arie Perlinger, “The Changing Nature of Suicide Attacks: A Social Network Perspective,” Social Forces 84(4) (2006). 31. Interview by author with Nasser Abu Hmeid, Fatah, 3 January 2006. 32. Interview by author with Rafat Mokdi, Hamas, 8 March 2006. 33. Interview by author with Muhammad Haj, Hamas, 7 February 2006. 34. Interview by author with Manal Sabaana, PIJ, 1 March 2006. 35. See Mohammed Hafez, “Rationality, Culture, and Structure in the Making of Suicide Bombers: A Preliminary Theoretical Synthesis and Illustrative Case Study,” Studies in Conflict & Terrorism 29(2) (2006), pp. 165–185. 36. Interviews by author with Nasser Issa, Hamas, March 2005, with Hasan Salame, January 2006, and with Ahmad Mugrabi, Fatah, October 2006. 37. Interview by author with Walid Daka, PFLP, March 2004. 38. Ibid. 39. Interview by author with Uthman Billal, Hamas, 2 April 2006. 40. Interview by author with Fahed Shaludi, Hamas, 15 December 2004, and with Hassan Salama, Hamas, 16 January 2006. 41. See an interview with Shikh Yassin at Anat Berko, The Path to Garden of Eden (Miskal-Yedioth Aharonot Books and Chermel Books, 2004) (Hebrew), pp. 71–91. 42. See Mohammed Hafez, “Rationality, Culture, and Structure in the Making of Suicide Bombers: A Preliminary Theoretical Synthesis and Illustrative Case Study,” Studies in Conflict & Terrorism 29(2) (2006), pp. 165–185. 43. Mia Bloom, “Palestinian Suicide Bombing: Public Support, Market Share and Outbidding,” Political Science Quarterly 119(1) (2004), pp. 61–88. 44. Interviews by author with Haron Nasser al Din, Hamas, March, June, and December 2005. 45. Interview by author with Thabet Mardawi, PIJ, 7 February 2006. 46. Interview by author with Ahmad Mugrabi, Fatah, 19 October 2005. 47. Interview by author with Ahmad Barghouti, Fatah, 14 March 14 2005. 48. Interview by author with Abbas Sayid, Hamas, January 2004. 49. Ami Pedahzur and Arie Perlinger, “The Changing Nature of Suicide Attacks: A Social Network Perspective,” Social Forces 84(4) (2006), pp. 1988–2008. 50. Interview by author with Wael Kassaem, Hamas, 8 December 2005. 51. Ibid. 52. Interview by author with Amjad Obeidi, 2 November 2005. 53. Interview by author with Thabet Mardawi, PIJ, 23 November 2005. 54. Interview by author with Ahmed Barghouti, 8 March 2006. 55. See interview by author with Ahmed Mugrabi, Fatah, 19 October 2005. 56. Interview by author with Ibrahim Sarakhne, Fatah, 14 November 2005. 57. Interview by author with Walid Daka, PFLP, 27 September 2004. 58. Interviews by author with Nassar Issa, 30 March 2005, and 23 November 2005. 59. Interview by author with Abu Qishaq, Hamas, August 2005. 60. Interview by author with Thabet Mardawi, PIJ, 23 November 2005. 61. Interview by author with Abu Hmeid, PIJ, 3 January 2006. 62. Interviews by author with Thabet Mardawi, 23 February 2005, and Amjad Obedei, 2 November 2005. 63. Interview by author with Muataz Haimuni, 19 September 2005. 64. Mohammed M. Hafez and Joseph Hatfiel, “Do Targeted Assassinations Work? A Multivariate Analysis of Israel's Controversial Tactic during Al-Aqsa Uprising,” Studies in Conflict & Terrorism 29(4) (2006), pp. 359–382. Hafez and Hatfield defied in their article the effective role played by the targeted killings in Israel's policy.