NCJ Number
63632
Journal
MIDDLE EAST REVIEW Volume: 9 Issue: 3 Dated: (1977) Pages: 55-59
Date Published
1977
Length
5 pages
Annotation
THIS ARTICLE STUDIES THE SHARED CONCERNS OF ISRAEL AND THE UNITED STATES AND ANALYZES THEIR DIFFERENT RESPONSES TO TERRORISM.
Abstract
BOTH INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AND TRANSNATIONAL TERRORISM ARE COMBINED IN THE TERM NONTERRITORIAL TERRORISM (NTT), A FORM OF TERRORISM NOT CONFINED TO A CLEARLY DELINEATED GEOGRAPHIC AREA. THE US RESPONSE IS DEFENSIVE, WHILE ISRAEL'S IS OFFENSIVE. THE US IS NOW EVOLVING A COHERENT POLICY WHILE ISRAEL, BY NECESSITY HAS LIVED WITH TERRORISM SINCE ITS FOUNDATION. A DISCUSSION OF THE ADVANTAGES ON NONTERRITORIAL TERRORISM NOTES THAT THE HIGH PERCENTAGE OF TERRORIST ACTS CARRIED OUT AGAINST NONINVOLVED COUNTRIES MAY SUCCEED AND PARTICIPANTS GO UNPUNISHED BECAUSE THE NONINVOLVED COUNTRY IS LIKELY TO COMPLY WITH TERRORIST DEMANDS. THE UNITED STATES RESPONSE TO SUCH ACTIONS IS THAT THERE MUST BE GLOBAL RESPONSE AND MULTILATERAL AGREEMENT ON HOW TO COMBAT TERRORISM. THE US HAS PROPOSED THREE MULTILATERAL CONVENTIONS DEALING WITH HIJACKING, EXTRADITION OF HIJACKERS AND SANCTIONS AGAINST SABOTAGE. IT HAS ALSO PROPOSED DRAFT RESOLUTIONS IN THE UNITED NATIONS CONCERNING PREVENTION AND PUNISHMENT OF TERRORISM. PRESIDENT NIXON ESTABLISHED A CABINET COMMITTEE TO COMBAT TERRORISM TO COORDINATE VARIOUS GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND THEIR RESPONSE TO TERRORIST ACTIVITIES. THE MAKEUP AND FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMITTEE ARE DESCRIBED. IN GENERAL, THE US POLICY IS BASED ON FIRMNESS IN DEALING WITH TERRORISTS, ALLOWS NO RANSOM OR YIELD TO TERRORISTS, AND PROSECUTES CAPTURED TERRORISTS. ISRAEL'S RESPONSE HAS BEEN DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF DIFFERENT NEEDS AND IS OFFENSIVE IN NATURE. ISRAEL CONCENTRATES NOT ON INDIVIDUAL TERRORISTS, BUT RATHER ON THE SOURCE OF THE ATTACK, AND ON THOSE WHO THREATEN HER SECURITY. EQUALLY SIGNIFICANT, ISRAEL SENDS ITS OPERATIVES THROUGHOUT EUROPE TO PRACTICE COUNTERTERROR BY ASSASSINATING THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO LAUNCH AN ATTACK ON ISRAELI FACILITIES AROUND THE WORLD. THEIR DATA COLLECTION BY INTELLIGENCE OPERATIVES IS WELL REFINED. SUGGESTIONS ARE MADE FOR MORE CONTACT BETWEEN ISRAELI AND US RESPONSES, COORDINATION WITH ISRAELI OPERATIONS BE MADE BY THE US, AND THAT THE US ASSUME A MORE POSITIVE STANCE CONCERNING TERROR WITHIN ITS OWN JURISDICTION. FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (RFC)