2 Friday, April 25, 1986
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
PURELY COMMENTARY
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Challenge To Democracies Guidelines in Battling Terrorism
"The democracies have by and large
failed to meet the terrorist challenge.
They have failed to recognize the far-
reaching effects unbridled terrorism will
have on their security and have stood di-
vided rather than united. They cannot af-
ford to do so any longer."
Such is the warning of a menace that
is being constantly confirmed, expressed
by Benjamin Netanyahu, permanent
representative of Israel to the United Na-
tions, in a message contained in one of the
great documents of this era, a volume of
major significance dealing with the ter-
rorist problems.
In this thorough analysis of the issues
involved, with many of the world's leading
authorities in the diplomatic ranks and
the media participating, in a thoroughly
researched volume entitled. Terrorism,:
How the West Can Win (Farrar, Stratus
and Giroux), Netanyahu also identified
the guilty. He is as firm in recognizing the
instigators as he is in proposing the vit-
ally needed solutions when he states:
_.'__This collaboration between
Marxist and Muslim radicals is not
accidental. Modern terrorism has
its roots in two movements that
have assumed international prom-
inence in the second half of the
20th Century, communist to-
taliarianism and Islamic (and
Arab) radicalism. These forces ,
• have given terrorism its ideologi-
cal impetus and much of its mate-
rial support. Both legitimize un-
bridled violence in the name of a
higher cause, both are profoundly
hostile to democracy, and both
have found in terrorism an ideal
weapon for waging war against it.
And each has given rise to organ-
izations which put these princi-
ples to work.
But these terrorist organiza-
tions would not have gotten very
far had they not been actively
supported by states that were
built on the foundations of Mar-
xism and radical Islam. Indeed, in-
ternational terrorism is over-'
. whelmingly' an extension of war-
fare sustained and supported by
-these states. The Soviet Union,
several of its Eastern European
satellites, Cuba and North Korea
on the one hand, and Middle East-
ern states such as Libya, Iran,
Syria, Iraq and South Yemen on
the other, have given terrorists
weapons, training, and money.
They have also provided
sanctuary, safe passage, and safe
houses, often 'using their embas-
sies and diplomatic pouches for
these purposes. But this assis-
tance to terrorism is not limited to
the operational plane. It is also
given on the crucial political level,
especially in the campaign to
legitimize terrorism and to block
international measures against it.
The lessons taught by the indiscrimi 7
nate resort to mass murders, many of the
reactions to the U.S. bombing, of Libyan
military and terrorist quarters on April
14, affirm the accusation of indifference of
the democracies to the curses inherent in
• international terrorism. oTherefore the
significance of Netanyahu's summaries of
the needs for action and the impressive-
ness of his latest work as a study, a warn-
ing, a proposal for action on a universal
scale.
Netanyahu calls attention to the es-
tablishment of a study center to deal with
the problem. He points out in his preface
that "the need for a better understanding
of terrorism and for mobilizing the West
,
demanding action to end the terrorist
threats.
Netanyahu,. in his analyses of the
varying approaches to the terrorist
threats, in his outline of the lessons
learned, comes to the conclusion that "the
clandestine nature of terrorism and the
openness of Western societies makes ter-
rorism against the West nearly impossible
to root out." His own view "I would
argue the exact opposite. Terrorism can be
easily stopped. The minute you weaken its
ability to deliver repeated blows, you have
beaten terror back. And it is well within
the means of the West to achieve this."
Thereupon comes the indictment of ,
the Western powers' failure to act
cooperatively toward the desired end in
the battle against the terrorists. In his
warnings against Western disunity,
which currently applies to failure for the
United States to get- cooperation in the
battle against Libya, Netanyahu makes
this drastic judgment: •
Jonathan Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu_
Terrorists and the states that
support them are serious adver-
saries. They are devious, ruthless,
againstit were among the major consider- not on a minimal scale.. The leading fac-
and persistent. But I do not be-
ations that in 1976 gave rise to- the tors in government are responding to the
lieve that I am in any way undere-
Jonathan Institute. The Fourth of July of call for action. U.S. Secretary of State
stimating the threat they pose
George Shultz, as a chief participant in
that year marked the Entebbee rescue,
when I say that in fighting them
the Netanyahu symposium on terrorism,
which has since become the symbol of bold
the major problem confronting the
and successful action against interna- made this assertion:
West is its own disunity..
tional terrorism. My brother, Lieutenant
No matter what strategy we
For two long terrorists have
Colonel Jonathan Netanyahu, led the re-
pursue, the terrorist threat will
succeeded in the strategy of divide.
scue party and fell in this mission. The
not disappear overnight. We must
and conquer. Governments have
Jonathan Institute, a private research
understand this and be prepared
cut separate deals with terrorists,
foundation concentrating, among other
to live with the fact that despite all
allowing them, for example, free-
things,' on terrorism, was established in
our best efforts the world is still a
dom of movement in exchange for
his -name, not merely because Jonathan
dangerous place. Further sac-
promises of immunity. But ter-
fought and died in the war against terror.
rifices, as in the past, may be the
rorists, who by their very nature
He, like other Israelis, devoted his effort
price We will have to pay for
ridicule the notion of law and
to protecting his country, but he also be-
preserving our freedom.
treaties, always violate their
lieved that the battle against terrorism
It is essential, therefore, that
agreements. The Western coun-
.
was part of a much larger struggle, one
we not allow the actions of ter-
tries must face up to a simple
between the forces of civilization and the
rorists to affect our policies or de-
truth: No deals are possible with
forces of barbarism andr that, if left un-
flect us from our goals. When ter-
terrorism. The success of ter-
challenged, terrorism would continue to
rorism succeeds in intimidating
rorism in one part of the world
spread with disastrous consequences."
governments into altering their
encourages terrorists everywhere.
These facts need to be taken into con-
foreign policies, it only opens the
Terrorism is an indivisible prob-
sideration.. The recall the role of the
door to more terrorism. It shows
lem, and the fight against ter-
author's brother and serve anew to honor
that terrorism works; it embol-
rorism must be indivisible as well.
his memory. Then they call attention to
dens those who resort to it, and it
This means that you cannot
the Jonathan Institute, the two confer-
encourages others to join their
condone or accept, or even •
ences it sponsored five years apart, to
ranks.
"understand, " terrorism when di-
study the menace of terrorism. Scholars
But if we remain firm, w•can
rected against someone else while
and statesmen attended the first confer-
look ahead to a time' when ter-
opposing it when directed against
ence in Jerusalem in 1979. It "exposed for
rorism will cease to be a major fac-
yourself. Terrorism threatens the
the first time," Netanyahu points out, "the
tor in world affairs. We must face
foundation of lawful and humane
full involvement of states in international
that challenge with realism, de-
existence everywhere. And it th-
'terrorism, and the centrality of the Soviet
termination, and strength of will. I
rives on weakness. It is naive to
Union and the PLO, in fomenting and
have great faith that we do have
think that the IRA does not take
spreading it." •
such will, and the capability to act
note of periodic British courtings
Still lacking, Netanyahu asserts,
decisively againSt this threat. It is
of the PLO. The same applies for
"was a coherent and united international .
really up to us, the nations of the
the Red Brigades vis-a-vis the Ita-
response. In its absence, terrorist assaults
free world. We must apply our-
lian government and its dealings
against the democracies increased in fre-
selves to the task of ensuring our
with Arab teriorists, and so on.
quency, ferocity and geographic scope."
future and consigning terrorism to
What is required is a basic
The principal objective of the second in-
its own dismal past.
realignment of international atti-
ternational gethering of the Jonathan In-
Here
we
have
a
declaration
directly
tudes toward terrorism. While all
stitute, held in Washington June 24-27,
governments uniformly offer
1984, therefore became a principal objec- • applicable to the U.S. attack on Libya on
April 14. The statement also points to one
rhetorical opposition to terrorism,
tive. It is on these proceedings that
of the great handicaps: the implied failure
including the adoption of illinited
Netanyahu based his Terrorism: How the
of the so-called friends of the United
Nations resolution condemning
West Can Win.
terrorism in 1985, in practice theY
Therefore, Netanyahu adds another States to join in action against the
brutalities.'
That's
where
the
other
par-
fall into one of three categories: A •
emphasis in charging responsibilities
ticipants
in
the
Netanyahu
volume
play
few governments actually oppose
when he declares: "The West, the princi-
their important roles in• battling against
terrorism, and do so consistently;
pal target of international terrorism, must
the terror.
others actively support terrorists;
organize- itself for this battle It must, and
Totalitarian and Islamic involve-
but most fall into a third broad
it can, adopt a variety of means — politi-
ments are • among the factors thoroughly
category, the neutrals. They either
cal, economic and military — with which
reviewed and discussants such as Jeane
acquiesce in terrorism or refuse
to fight back. But underlying them all
Kirkpatrick, Daniel Patrick Moynihan,
outright to oppose it. A proper poi-
must be the moral understanding that
icy. toward terrorism must take
terrorism, under whatever -guise or pre- . Paul Jahnson, Moshe Arens, Claire Sterl-
ing,
Arnaud
T.
de
Borchgrave,
Y'ehuda
Z.
each of these types of
intotea account
sc.
text, is an inexcusable evil -that it obliter-
Blum,
Arthur
J.
Goldberg,
Eugene
Ros-
states.
ates the political and moral distinctions
tow,
Edwin
Meese,
Yitzhak
Rabin,
Jack
which are the foundations of humane and
What causes governments to tolerate
Kemp, Ted Kopel, Norman Podhoretz,
free rights under the rule of law; that the
terrorism? What causes states to be
Daniel
Schorr,
George
Will
and
a
score
of
West, in short, must resist terrorism and
coerced "to offer territory for attack, as in
other authoritative personalities have a
ultimately defeat it."
(there
in
diagnosing,
condemning,
and
Continued on Page 26
Jonathan Institute participation is
'
,