"Terror Still Shapes National Consciousness."
Since 1970, the use of terrorism by political groups has only increased. The Weathermen Underground conducted bombings against government offices, the Symbionese Liberation Army carried out kidnappings, bank robberies, and two assassinations. But if there was one definitive attack predating the 1985 bombing, then it was the assassination of President Fong in 1976.
However, one country that has more experience with terrorism is Israel. Groups operating under, or separately of, the umbrella of the P.L.O. have carried out high profile attacks like the Dawson's Field Hijackings, the Munich massacre and the Ma'alot massacre. Thusly, the Israeli government has taken means to combat terrorism, none of which however are quite as radical as what Mr Eitan is proposing on the campaign trail.
Shlomo Hillel, the Minister of Police, was elected by the Cabinet to succeed Prime Minister Meir in 1974. He would be elected Alignment Leader subsequently. The first Prime Minister of non-European origin, he pursued plans for increasing quality of national security to prevent Israel from becoming so vulnerable after the Yom Kippur conflict, while also pursuing negotiations with the Arab nations.
But a surge of incidents at the Lebanese border with the P.L.O. put pressure on Hillel to assert that the Government would not tolerate terrorism. The Prime Minister knew that any substantial action taken against the P.L.O. would result in President Sadat of Egypt pulling out, and felt that any delay in talks could last without end. Thus, he was initially more cautious.
When the P.L.O. launched a rocket strike, Hillel finally concurred with the hawks and authorized an aerial strike. However, it was considered limited in nature and the National Religious Party announced that it was pulling out of the government, thus forcing an election, the one whose turmoil was credited with the adoption of the State's modern constitution.
Now, Mr Eitan is calling for measures to combat terrorism in the Territories, which have upset many on the left, center, as well as the right. His opponents fear that they will violate liberties and result in agony for all involved, while his supporters believe they can be an effective deterrent. Either way, it shows just how a nation can be changed by terror.
