The Terror State
Abstract
Israel’s most recent war against Gaza was an act of state terrorism masqueraded as an act of self-defense. This paper examines the deep connections between the State of Israel and terrorism, when this relationship began, and how it defines state policy to this day. The origins of the modern State of Israel trace back to the Zionist Movement of 19th century Europe and the terroristic pogroms Jews faced across the continent. How did these people respond to the very real threats facing them? Many sought to colonize British Mandatory Palestine to build a new nation-state for Jews. During the 1920s and 30s, groups like the Haganah, Irgun, and Stern Gang waged terror campaigns against the British Mandatory Government. This along with the revelations of the Holocaust ultimately led to the creation of the state of Israel in 1948. What is the significance of this connection between paramilitary terror groups and the State of Israel? These terror groups formed the core of the Israeli military overnight, bringing their tactics and lived experience. How did this change from nonstate to state actors affect their operations? These forces used the legitimation of international recognition to dispossess, displace, and kill Palestinian people who had been living there for millennia. The Nakba of 1948, as well as numerous waves of war and colonization in the intervening decades, have all been informed by terrorism from both Israel and Palestinians, at times real and at others exaggerated for political purposes. Why does this connection matter? In the wake of the genocide of the Palestinians and the uncertain future in Palestine, now more than ever it is vital to recognize Israeli terrorism's role in how and why these events have transpired.
Start Time
16-4-2025 1:30 PM
End Time
16-4-2025 2:30 PM
Room Number
304
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Presentation Subtype
Grad/Comp Orals
Presentation Category
Art and Humanities
Faculty Mentor
Leila Al-Imad
The Terror State
304
Israel’s most recent war against Gaza was an act of state terrorism masqueraded as an act of self-defense. This paper examines the deep connections between the State of Israel and terrorism, when this relationship began, and how it defines state policy to this day. The origins of the modern State of Israel trace back to the Zionist Movement of 19th century Europe and the terroristic pogroms Jews faced across the continent. How did these people respond to the very real threats facing them? Many sought to colonize British Mandatory Palestine to build a new nation-state for Jews. During the 1920s and 30s, groups like the Haganah, Irgun, and Stern Gang waged terror campaigns against the British Mandatory Government. This along with the revelations of the Holocaust ultimately led to the creation of the state of Israel in 1948. What is the significance of this connection between paramilitary terror groups and the State of Israel? These terror groups formed the core of the Israeli military overnight, bringing their tactics and lived experience. How did this change from nonstate to state actors affect their operations? These forces used the legitimation of international recognition to dispossess, displace, and kill Palestinian people who had been living there for millennia. The Nakba of 1948, as well as numerous waves of war and colonization in the intervening decades, have all been informed by terrorism from both Israel and Palestinians, at times real and at others exaggerated for political purposes. Why does this connection matter? In the wake of the genocide of the Palestinians and the uncertain future in Palestine, now more than ever it is vital to recognize Israeli terrorism's role in how and why these events have transpired.