By Brigitte L. Nacos
In his book No End To War: Terrorism in the Twenty First Century, Walter Laqueur wrote that "the idea that the surrender of the territories and the emergence of a Palestinian state would have a decisive effect on the incidence of global terrorism is far-fetched." In his view, the "radical Islamists have a bigger fish to fry [than Israel]; they aim at the punishment and if possible destruction of America and western civilization." Staying away from such a clash of civilization scenario, Germany's Interior Minister Wolfgang Staeuble said the other day in an interview with Die Zeit that part of the Arab world believes falsly that the existence of the state of Israel is the cause of the region's problems and injustices.
Imagine for a moment that the Israeli-Palestinian problem was solved or that Israel disappeared from the map of the Middle East: Would global terrorism stop as well? The answer is no.
But since the problem between Israel and her neighbors--not only Palestinians--has for long fueled the anger of Arabs and Muslims and driven terrorism and counterterrorism in this particular area, the international community needs to step in decisively and quickly to prevent the renewal and expansion of armed conflict. Since Arabs object to the United States as an ally of Israel and occupyer of Iraq, American troops should not be part of the planned U.N. peace-keeping force. But, as Israel has rightly made clear, the U.N. peace-keepers must not include soldiers from countries that refuse to have diplomatic relations with the Jewish state.
In his column "It's Up to You, President Chirac" in today's Washington Post, Jim Hoagland still looks at the French for leading the peace-keeping contingent. But following France's foot-dragging in promising more than a few hundred soldiers and Italy's stepping up to the plate with a strong commitment, other European countries must now follow Italy's example.
The reluctance to get involved is understandable. In Germany, for example, the recent failed train bombings gave the authorities and the German public pause. They wondered whether one of the suspects, a Lebanese student, wanted to strike in the Federal Republic because of Germany's special relationship with Israel. Or were the bombings meant to warn Germany not to contribute to the U.N. peace keeping force for the region.
Whatever the answer to such questions may be, terrorism and the threat of terrorism must not tie the hands of governments in efforts like this one which is clearly intended to prevent further violence. That is, after all, the mission of the U.N. peace-keepers.
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