Wreckage of a car following an Israeli air strike in Gaza City,
Killing two prominent members of Islamic Jihad, September 2005

"Terrorists - they're both, actually. They're trying to fight for freedom, but doing it in a totally unacceptable immoral way.

Of course they're terrorists and there's been Palestinian terrorism all the way through. I have always opposed it. I oppose it now. But it's very small as compared with the US-backed Israeli terrorism.

Quite typically, violence reflects the means of violence. It's not unusual. State terror is almost always much more extreme than retail terror and this is no exception."

Apr. 08, 2002 - Noam Chomsky, PhD 

"...[Y]ou are supposed to believe that nineteen missiles fired in a refugee camp crowded with women and children is not an act of terrorism, it is anti-terrorism. 'No matter how many shattered bodies of Palestinian men, women and children pile up, please understand that Israel is not a terrorist state.' You are not supposed to worry about the fact that Israel’s leader, Ariel Sharon, is a war criminal who slaughtered 1,500 Palestinian men women and children in Sabre and Shatila.

You are supposed to believe that firing missiles from the relative safety of fighter jet or an armored helicopter gunship or tank into Palestinian buildings, refugee camps, neighborhoods is not terrorism! However, when a Palestinian suicide bomber sacrifices his life to strike at Israelis, that’s definitely terrorism. Have you got the picture now?"

Nov. 18, 2002 - David Duke , PhD 

"...[T]he Zionist state remains the cause of more regional grievance and sheer terror than all the Muslim states combined. Read the melancholy Palestinian Monitor on the Internet; it chronicles the equivalent of Madrid's horror week after week, month after month, in occupied Palestine. No front pages in the West acknowledge this enduring bloodbath, let alone mourn its victims. Moreover, the Israeli army, a terrorist organisation by any reasonable measure, is protected and rewarded in the west."

Mar. 20, 2004 - John Pilger  

"The Lavon affair ('Esek Habish' - the shameful affair) was one of the most bizarre chapters in Israeli history. In 1954, the Israeli secret service set up a spy ring in Egypt, with the purpose of blowing up US and British targets. The operation was code-named 'Susanah.' The terrorist hits were to be blamed on the regime of Egyptian President Gamal Abdul Nasser, with the purpose of alienating the US and Britain from Egypt and Nasser and somehow preventing Egyptian nationalization of the Suez canal. The ring was discovered. Strict censorship ensured that that the Israeli public officially knew little or nothing of the affair for many years. Names were not mentioned, the affair was called 'Esek Bish' - the affair of shame, and key protagonists were referred to as 'X' and 'the third man.' Unofficially and through leaks, most people knew at least the outlines of the affair."

Feb. 16, 2007 - Ami Isseroff, DSc 

"One of the most notorious acts of Israeli terrorism occurred during the 1948 war when Jewish forces, members of the LEHI underground [Lohamei Herut Israel, 'Fighters for the Freedom of Israel,' also known as the 'Stern Gang'] assassinated Swedish Count Folke Bernadotte, a U.N. appointed mediator. Bernadotte was killed on September 17, 1948, a day after he offered his second mediation plan which, among other things, called for repatriation and compensation for the Palestinian refugees."

July-Aug. 2003 - Ronald Bleier  

"How ...to explain the world's very different reaction to Israel's decision to target terrorist leaders, such as Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and Dr. Abdel Aziz Rantisi, the former leaders of Hamas. Surely, there is no legal or moral difference between Yassin and Rantisi on the one hand, and Al-Sadr [killed by coallition forces] on the other. [...] They were both killed, along with their military bodyguards, in a manner that minimized civilian casualties... Israel waited until they, and their fellow terrorist guards, were alone and then targeted them successfully.

Reasonable people can disagree about whether the decision to target Yassin, Rantisi, Al-Sadr, Bin Laden, or any other terrorist is tactically wise or unwise, or whether it will have the effect of reducing or increasing the dangers to civilians. But no reasonable argument can be made that the decision to target these combatants - these terrorist commanders - is unlawful under the laws of war or under international law.

The international community cannot retain any credibility if it continues to apply a different, and more demanding, standard to Israel than it does to more powerful nations."

Apr. 23, 2004 - Alan M. Dershowitz, LLB 

"The attempt now in the United Nations is to impose upon us and [sic] international force, where the purpose of its creation and philosophy behind its formulation is not clear to us. Israel is not initiating any acts of terror. We are only reacting. An international force will not have the right, for example, to inspect the headquarters of Hamas, or the headquarters of the Jihad, or the headquarters of the Hizbullah, or even Force 17, where terrorism is being initiated. So what will the force do? Just mark our reactions to their terror? ...I would rather invest the money in improving the economy than creating an imaginary force which will only add irritation to the existing irritation."

Mar. 21, 2001 - Shimon Peres 

"Mr. Rubin: 'Mossad [Israeli Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations] is not a terrorist organization. In our view, a terrorist organization targets innocent civilians to make their political point. That's a very different situation than what we've been talking about.'

Question [from the press]: 'Just to follow up on Mossad, how would you characterize the attempted assassination?'

Mr. Rubin: 'I would say this - the United States has long made it a practice of not second-guessing the Israeli Government when it comes to the decisions in the fight against terror. However, we believe that Israel must take into account the repercussions and consequences of any actions it takes in its fight against terror.'"

Oct. 8, 1997 - United States Department of State 

"The tragic events of 17 September 1948 took place barely four months after Israel emerged as an independent State from the chaos which prevailed in Palestine during the closing phase of the Mandatory regime... You will find enclosed a remittance of United States $54,628.00 as reparation for the monetary damage borne by the United Nations in connexion with the death of Count Bernadotte.

The Representative of Israel has already expressed to the President of the Security Council the Government's profound sense of abhorrence at this brutal murder... The Government once again expresses to the United Nations its most sincere regret that this dastardly assassination took place on Israeli territory, and that despite all its efforts the criminals have gone undetected. These facts are deeply deplored... The Government of Israel wishes to make it clear that the full sense and meaning of the assassination and its aftermath weigh heavily on its mind."

June 14, 1950 - Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs