[...] After September 11th targeted killings become a usual method to eleminate terrorists. But targeted killings did not arose in 2001. Also in the Cold War there were many targeted attacks on politicians, agents and other undesirable people. The “Licence to Kill” spanninged the whole continent. The whole continent was spanning by the “Licence to kill”. After the end of the Cold War the situation calmed down for a short time. But at the latest with the arising of the terrorism as the enemy of the civil society the state sanctioned killings became popular. The forerunner of targeted killings was Israel, the USA followed after September 11th. They used for example armed drones for killing suspects over a distance of thousands of kilometres. Also Russia uses this method for the fight against terrorism. For example they accomplished a lethal prevention attack on a former Chechenian leader in Katar. One of the most spectacular Israeli targeted killings was the killing of the religious leader of the Palestine Hamas Sheik Yassin. This targeted killing aggravated the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in a strong way. Yassin and his followers who left the mosque were shot out of an helicopter. Besides the targeted killings of members of political and militant movements there are often attacks on Palestinian people who are in no coherence with demonstrations or rebellions. Here are to mention targeted attacks in Palestinian settlements, killings because of carelessness, planless shootings and inconsiderate eleminating of human life. The following work tasks with the targeted killings which Israel practices. Because on the one hand Israel is the forerunner of this method and on the other hand Israel practices this method very often and with an enormous brutality as well as recklessness against the civil society. At first I give some examples of Israeli targeted killings. These case studies conclude killings of the political elite as well as the Palestinian civil society. Other aspects in this essay are the different positions on the Israeli “Politics of Killing”. In this point the positions of Israel, Palestine, the United Nations and the problem of the American position are important. A further feature aspect is the international law. There is the question if targeted killings of terrorists could be accepted in the view of the international law or not.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Examples of targeted killings
2.1 Targeted killings of political and other leaders
2.1.1 Sheik Ahmed Yassin and Abd al-Aziz al Rantisi
2.1.2 Abbas Moussawi
2.1.3 Abu Ali Mustafa
2.1.4 Jamal´Abd al Qader´Abd al-Razeq
2.2 The killing of civilians
2.2.1 Muhammad al´Arja
2.2.2 Iyad Da´du/ Ahmad al-Kasas/ Hani Yusef al-Sufi
3 Positions to the Israeli targeted killings
3.1 Israel´s Position
3.1.1 The political and military elite
3.1.2 Opposites opinions out of the army
3.2 The positions of the arabic world, Palistine and Palistinian groups
3.3 Positions of the State Community
3.3.1 The Positions of different countries and the European Union
3.3.2 Comments of the UNO
3.4 The Problems with Current U.S. Policy
4 International Law
4.1 The rigth of self-defence
4.1.1 The armed attack as condition
4.1.2 The application criterias of the right of self-defence
4.1.3 The relation between article 51 UN-Charter and article 2 diget 4 UN-Charter
4.1.4 The use of armed forces against terrorism
4.1.5 The existence of common-law self-defence
4.2 The difference between combatants and civilians
4.3 The right to life
4.4 The right of a fair lawsuit
5 Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This essay examines the practice of targeted killings employed by Israel, analyzing its justification, legal implications, and international reception. The central research question explores whether state-sanctioned targeted killings are compatible with international law, human rights standards, and the principles of a constitutional state.
- Analysis of specific case studies involving the Israeli political and military elite's decision-making.
- Evaluation of the international perspectives from the Arab world, the European Union, and the United Nations.
- Critique of current U.S. foreign policy regarding its support for extrajudicial killings.
- In-depth investigation of legal frameworks, including the UN Charter, the right to self-defence, and the distinction between combatants and civilians.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1.4 Jamal´Abd al Qader´Abd al-Razeq
On November 22nd in 2000 the Fatah leader Jamal Ábd al Razeq was shot down in his car in the near of Rafah. With him died two of his inmates and two other people in the age of 28 and 30.
Only the taxi driver survived. Later he reported: “I got up early in the morning and made various runs. Later there were Samu Abu Laban and Na’el al-Ladawi. They asked me to take them quickly to the bakery where they worked. I went towards Khan Yunis, past the Palestinian checkpoint, I was going at 60 km an hour, when near the junction to the Morag settlement a lorry pulled out in front and I had to jam on the brakes. Suddenly there was an intensive shooting – I could not see from where and against whom as I flung myself down as low as possible and lay as though unconscious. After some time an Israeli soldier carrying a body bag and opened the door. He thought I was dead – he was about to put me in a body bag. Then he shouted “One’s still alive!” He laid me down, handcuffed and with a blindfold and took me to Gush Katif. I did not know if the other passengers were dead or alive. I heard soldiers, I was blindfold, I felt bad, I tried to vomit. After three hours I was taken, still handcuffed, blindfolded and with my legs tied to Ashkelon Prison. They took off my clothes and doctors examined me; I had a high temperature. They gave me prison clothes and I was interrogated by four intelligence officers. I told them the exact story; they asked some questions about six times: ‘Was there a Kalashnikov in the car?’ I said, ‘No, the people only had empty kerosene cans and their clothes were covered in flour.’ They said they would release me if I said there were weapons in the car but I insisted there weren’t. They spat in my face, insulted and humiliated me, trying to get me to change my story.”
After seven days Nahed Fuju´ was dismissed at the frontier to the Gaza Strip in Erez.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Provides an overview of the global shift in counterterrorism methods post-September 11th and introduces the scope of the essay focusing on Israeli targeted killings.
2 Examples of targeted killings: Documents specific cases of targeted killings, ranging from political leaders like Sheik Ahmed Yassin to civilian casualties in Palestinian areas.
3 Positions to the Israeli targeted killings: Explores the diverse viewpoints of the Israeli government, international actors like the EU and the UN, and the complex stance of the United States.
4 International Law: Critically analyzes the legality of targeted killings under the UN Charter, focusing on self-defence, humanitarian law, and human rights.
5 Conclusion: Summarizes the findings, asserting that targeted killings often undermine international legal standards and aggravate regional conflicts without providing long-term security.
Keywords
Targeted killings, Israel, Terrorism, International Law, UN Charter, Self-defence, Extrajudicial killings, Human rights, Middle East conflict, Hamas, Civilians, Combatants, Foreign policy, Geneva Convention, Counterterrorism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on the practice of targeted killings by Israel, assessing the justifications used by the Israeli state and evaluating these actions against the standards of international law and human rights.
What are the primary themes discussed in this work?
The main themes include the definition of self-defence in the context of terrorism, the distinction between combatants and civilians, the role of international organizations like the UN, and the influence of U.S. policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
What is the main goal or research question of this essay?
The goal is to determine if Israeli targeted killings can be justified under international law or if they constitute breaches that undermine the principles of a constitutional state.
Which scientific methodology is applied in this study?
The essay utilizes a qualitative legal and political analysis, drawing on international conventions, resolutions from the UN Security Council, and reports from various media and humanitarian organizations.
What topics are covered in the main section of the paper?
The main section covers case studies of targeted killings, diplomatic and political stances from international stakeholders, and a rigorous legal examination of Article 51 of the UN Charter and the Geneva Convention.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include targeted killings, international law, self-defence, extrajudicial killings, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
How does the author view the U.S. role in Israeli targeted killings?
The author argues that U.S. support discredits Washington as a mediator in the Middle East peace process and notes that the U.S. undermines its own stance on human rights by providing weapons used in these operations.
What is the significance of the "right to a fair lawsuit" in the author's analysis?
The author argues that targeted killings deny victims their fundamental right to be presumed innocent and to defend themselves in an impartial tribunal, which is a core tenet of international law.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Sarah Stolle (Autor:in), 2005, Targeted Killings - A Counterterrorism of Israel, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/60562
