When did Palestinian terror really start?

by Maurice Ostroff

In her lecture at University of Amsterdam, 22 November 2002, Prof Reinhart said ( and I quote her exact words) "Israel defines its military action as a necessary defense against terrorism. But in fact, the first Palestinian terrorist attack on Israeli civilians inside Israel occurred on November 2, 2000. That was after a month during which Israel used its full military arsenal against civilians, including live bullets, automatic guns, combat helicopters, tanks, and missiles"

Note that there is no indication that she was referring to the first terror attack during the current Intifada. The text creates a false impression to her Dutch audience that there was no terror until (and again I quote from her lecture) "On September 28, 2000, Sharon, with Barak's approval, threw a match into the boiling frustration which was accumulating in Palestinian society, with his provocative visit to Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif."

Prof. Reinhart's complete lecture may be viewed at
http://www.tau.ac.il/~reinhart/political/22_11_02_Amsterdam_Lecture.doc

I would appreciate an explanation of what you mean when you say it is a gross exaggeration to believe that "that the "Intifada" began as a "terror war" against Israel."

With regard to when terror started, I do not know which intifada database you are referring to, but already in 1965 Fatah planted explosives at Mitzpe Massua and on the Jerusalem railway line, followed by frequent Fatah bomb attacks on Israeli villages, water pipes and railroads.

Then there was the 1970 SwissAir flight bound for Tel Aviv that was bombed in mid-flight by PFLP, with 47 people killed and in the same year the PLO attack on a schoolbus killing nine pupils and three teachers.

Remember Black September 1970 when TWA, Pan-Am, and BOAC planes were hijacked by the PLO and Jordanian forces fought the PLO and drove them out of Jordan or 1972: when PFLP sent members of the Japanese Red Army to attack Lod Airport in Tel Aviv, killing 27 people or the 1972: Munich Massacre of our athletes?

And what about the 1985 Achilles Lauro outrage, when wheelchair-bound Leon Klinghoffer, was shot and thrown overboard on instructions from Arafat's headquarters in Tunis.

I highly recommend Camera's history of Arafat which contains a timeline of Palestinian terror.