Fundamentalism, Terrorism, and Democracy: The Case of The Gush Emunim Underground

Fundamentalism, Terrorism,
Fundamentalism, andDemocracy:
Terrorism,and Democracy:The
The Case
Case of
of the
the Gush
Gush Emunim
Emunim Undergroun... Page
Undergroun... Page 11 of32
of 32
Fundamentalism, Terrorism, and Democracy:

The Case of the Gush Emunim Underground
by
Ehud Sprinzak
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
C3
This paper was originally presented for discussion at a colloquiwn

colloquium at The Wilson Center on September
1986. The
16, 1986. Themeeting
meetingwas
wasmade
madepossible
possiblewith
withsupport
supportfrom the Ford
from the Ford Foundation.
Single copies ofthis

copies of thispaper
papermay
may be obtained without
beobtained without charge
charge by writing to the Wilson
Wilson Center
Center at: History,
Culture an~
and Society Program,
Program, The Wilson Center, Smithsonian Institution
InstitutionBuilding,
Building, Washington,
Washington, D.C.
20506.
The Table of
of Contents can be found
at the end of this document and
and also
also by
by clicking section headings.
Introduction
study isis part

This study part of
ofaa larger
larger attempt to understand
understand andand explain
explain the
the radicalization
radicalization processes
processes that
that have
taken place within democratic societies in the last twenty-five years and that that led
led non-violent
non-violent political
movements to
movements to embark
embark upon a violent
violent course
course that
that finally
finally produced
produced terrorism.
terrorism. The study emerged from a
specific interest
specific interest in
in the radicalization of Gush Emunim (the block of
ofOush of the faithful),
faithful), an Israeli
Israeli messianic
messianic
movement committed
movement committed to to establishing
establishingJewish
Jewishsettlements
settlementsin in the
the West
West Bank
Bank (biblical
(biblicalJudea
Judea and
and Samaria).
It was espeCially
It triggered by
especially triggered by the
the exposure
exposure and
and arrest,
arrest, in
in April
April 1984, of terror group
of a terror groupcomposed
composed ofof
highly-respected members of of the movement, who since 1980 1980 had
had committed several stunning acts of of anti-
Arab terror
terror in
in the
the West
West Bank. The fact that the "underground"-as
"underground"—asititwas wasnamed
namedin press—had also
the press-had
in the
developed aa very
developed very elaborate
elaborate plan to blow up the Muslim Dome of ofthe
the Rock on on Jerusalem's Temple Mount,
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Fundamentalism, Terrorism, andDemocracy:
Democracy: The
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EmunimUndergroWl ... Page
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for ideological-religious
ideological-religious reasons,
reasons, was of
ofspecial significance. ItIt showed
special significance. showed that
that some
some prominent members of
prominent members of
Gush Emunim, who who started peaceful; idealistic settlers, had become
started their careers as peaceful, become extremely
millenarian, radicalized to the point of
of considering catastrophe aa means
means of
of achieving national and
religious redemption.
The terrorism introduced

introduced by the members of of the underground
underground was was not
not unprecedented.
unprecedented. In In the
the 1930s and
1940s
1940s there
there existed
existed in
in Israel
Israel (then Palestine) two two small
small Jewish
Jewish underground
Wlderground groups which conducted a
very sophisticated terror campaign against
terror campaign against both
both the
the Arabs
Arabsandandthe
theBritish.!
British).But
But following
following the
establishment of of the state
state ofIsrael in 1948, these movements ceased to exist. The newly-established state
of Israel in
-free. Terrorism was, for many years, considered in Israel aa barbaric Arab practice. Very
terrorism-free.
became terrorism
few people
people believed,
believed, until
until 1980,
1980,that
that Israeli
Israeli Jews were
were capable, morally or politically, of of producing
terrorism. The Wlderground
terrorism: The underground of of Gush
Gush Emunim
Emunim disproved
disproved this
this conviction.
conviction. It did to Israelis what other
movements did,
idealistic movements did, in
inthe
the last
last three
three decades,
decades, toto other
other democratic societies—taught
societies-taught themthem'that
that their
political system was
was not
not immune
immune to violence
violence andand was
was capable
capable ofofgenerating
generating intrademocratic terrorism.
This study was

was stimulated
stimulated byby the
the general
general desire
desire to
to understand psycho-political mechanisms that
understand the psycho-political
produce terrorism
terrorismwithin
within aademocracy,
democracy, aapolitical
political system
system usually
usually not
not associated
associated with this
this type
type of
of action.
This general interest

interest was translated into five specific
specific research
research questions regarding
regarding Gush Emunim.
(1)
(1) What were the historical conditions that led to the radicalization of
of Gush Emunim
EmWlim and to the
emergence
emergence of
ofthe
the underground?
underground?
(2)
(2) What were the ideological predicaments of EmWlim that
of Gush Emunim thatmade
madeititpossible
possible for
for some
some of
of its
members to consider violence
violence as
as aa necessary
necessary and
and legitimate
legitiuiate means for achieving their
theIr goals?
(3)
(3) How
How was
wasthe
theunderground
undergroWld formed
formed and
and what was
was the
the nature
nature of
ofthe
the behavioral transformation
transformation that led
its young and
and idealistic
idealistic members
members to
to become
becomecommitted
committedterrorists?
terrorists?
(4)
(4) How
How did
did the
the group
group operate? What forms of
ofterrorism
terrorism did it carry
carry out?
out? How
How were
were these forms of
ofterror
terror
perceived
perceived and
and justified by the members of
of the group? '
(5)
(5) Where and how does
does the
the case
case of
ofthe
theGush
GushEmunim
EmWlimunderground
Wlderground fit into our general understanding
understanding of
of
social and political violence within democratic societies?
will be
The answers to these questions will be presented
presented in three descriptive sections:
sections: History, Ideology and
Terrorism. A
Terrorism. A final analytical section will try lesson learned
try to place the lesson learned from the study of
of the Gush
Emunim underground within a broader theoretical
'Emunim theoretical perspective.
History
History,
The Emergence of Gush Emunim
Gush Emunim was officially

officiallyborn
born in
in 1974
1974as
asaareaction
reactiontotothe
theYom
YomKippur
Kippur War.
War. But
But the spiritual
inspiration for the
inspiration for the new
new movement came directly out of of the events of
ofIsrael's
Israel's previous conflict, the Six-
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Day War of of1967.

1967.Israel's
Israel's swift
swiftvictory,
victory,which
whichbrought
broughtabout
about the
the reunification
reunification ofofJerusalem,
Jerusalem, the
the return to
Israel of
of biblical Judea and Samaria
Samaria (the
(the West
West Bank),
Bank), thethe conquest
conquest of of Sinai, and
and the
the takeover ofof the
the.Golan
Golan
Heights, was perceived by many Israelis as an an unworldly
unworldly event.
event. They
They simply
simply could
could notbelieve
not believe it was aUall
real.
real. Zionist religious Jews were especially
especially stunned.
stunned. The new event event did not square
square with
with the
the nonmessianic,
nonmessianic,
pragmatic stand they hadhad maintained
maintained for for years;
years. ItItmust
musthave
havebeen
beenaamiracle.
miracle.The
TheGodGodofIsrael
of Israel had
had once
once I
again showed his might. He came came to thethe rescue ofofhis
his people
people in
in their
their worst
worst moment offearof fear and
and anxiety
anxiety
and, as in the days of
and, ofold,
old, turned
turned an unbearable
unbearablesituation
situationupside
upsidedown.
down. InInone
onestrike
strikeheheplaced
placed the
the whole
whole
traditional Eretz Yisrael-the
traditional Eretz Yisrael—the object of of prayers
prayers and
andyearnings
yearningsof of thousands
thousandsof of years-in
years—in the the hands
hands ofof his
his
loyal servants. .
But while most ofthe

most of the nation,
nation, including the religious community, was still still shocked
shocked and
and overwhelmed.,
overwhelmed,
there was one small religious
religious school
school that was not.
that was not. This
This school
school centered
centered around
around Yeshivat Merkaz ha-Rav
in Jerusalem
Jerusalem and
and around
aroundthe theologyof
thetheology of the
the Kook
Kook family.
family. The
The head
headofof the
the Yeshiva,
Yeshiva, Rabbi
Rabbi Zvi
Zvi Yehuda
Kook, who succeeded
succeededthethe founder
founder ofofthe
the school
school(his
(hisrevered
revered father
father Rabbi Avraham
Avraham Yitzhak
Yitzhak ha-Cohen
Kook), was intensely
intensely preoccupied
preoccupied withwith the incorporation of
the incorporation of the entire Eretz Yisrael into the the state
state of
of
Israel. His dreams were widely shared with his devoted students and
Israel. andwere
were discussed
discussed in many
many courses and and
halakhic deliberations.~
deliberations:2 Following the teaching of father, and
of his father, and the
the belief
belief that
thatours
oursisisaamessianic
messianic ageage in
which the Land ofIsrael,
of Israel, in its entirety, is to be reunited,
reunited, Rabbi
Rabbi Zvi
Zvi Yehuda
Yehuda Kook Kook left
left no doubt in the
hearts of his students that
that inin their
their lifetimes
lifetimes they
they were
were to
to see the great
great e\,'ent.
event. Distinct
Distinct from
from the
the rest
rest of
of the
religious community, thethe student
student body of ofMerkaz
Merkaz ha-Rav was mentally and intellectually ready to absorb absorb
the consequences of ofthe Six-Day
Six-Day War—but
War-but not before witnessing a unique, unique, seemingly
seemingly miraculous event.
On the eve of
ofIndependence
Independence DayDay inin May
May 1967,
1967,graduates
graduates of
ofthe
the Yeshiva
Yeshiva metmet atat Merkaz ha-Rav for an
almnni
alumni reunion. As was his custom, Rabbi
reunion. As Rabbi Zvi
Zvi Yehuda
Yehuda Kook
Kook delivered
delivered aa festive
festive sermon,
sermon, inin the
the midst
midstofof
which his quiet voice suddenly rose, and he bewailed the partition
partitionof ofhistoric
historicEretz
EretzYisrael.J.
Yisraet. His faithful
faithful
believe that
students were led to believe that this situation was intolerable and must
must not
not last.
last. When
When three
three weeks
weeks later,
. in June 1967, they found themselves
themselves citizens
citizensofofan
anenlarged
enlarged state
state of
ofIsrael, ~e graduates of
Israel, the of Merkaz ha-ha-
Rav were convinced
convinced that
that a genuine
genuine spirit
spirit of
ofprophecy
prophecy had come
come over
over their
their rabbi on that
that Independence
Independence
Day.
In one stroke a flame had been been lit and

and the
the conditions
conditions made
made ripe
ripefor
forimparting
impartingthe
thepolitical
politicalideology
ideology of
of
Eretz
Eretz Yisrael
Yisrael to
to aa wider
wider religious
religious public,
public, especially
especially young
young Zionist
Zionist religious
religious Jews.
Jews. The
The disciples
disciples of
of Rabbi
Kook became missionaries equipped authority of
equipped with unshakable confidence in the divine authority of their
their cause.
cause.
They consequently
consequently transformed
transformed a wide religious community into a radicalradical political
political constituency:
constituency.
According to the new ideo-theology,
ideo-theology, the entire historic Land ofIsrael
theentire of Israel would
would have
have toto be annexed,
immediately, to the State of of Israel, whether by military action
by military actionor
orbybysettlement andthe
settlementand thelegal
legalextension
extensionofof
Israeli
Israeli sovereignty.
The new theology

theology of ofEretz Yisrael, and
Eretz Yisrael, and the
the political spirit
spirit associated with it, had one problem.
problem. The
secular government ofIsrael
of Israel did not share
share its
its convictions interpretationof
convictions and its messianic interpretation of politics.
politics.
Pragmatic considerations prevailed, Judea and and Samaria
Samariawerewerenotnotannexed,
annexed, and
andJewish
Jewish settlement
settlement in the
new territories
territories was hesitant
hesitant and slow. A core group of
and slow. of the future
futureGush
Gush Emunim,
Emunim,ElonElon Moreh-whose
Moreh—whose
founders first
first formulated the settlement operational ideology—was preparing itselfdiligently
formulated the settlement operational ideology-was preparing itself diligently to settle in .
to settle
.the midst ofofArab
Arab populated
populated Samaria.4 i
Samaria. Otherwise,
Otherwise, little
little was
was taking
taking place.
place.The
Thesuccessful
successful establishment
establishment of of
Kiryat Arba,
Arba, aa Jewish city adjacent to Hebron,Hebron, was started
started illicitly and then authorized by the
government. This strategy
strategy clearly
clearly showed
showed the directionto
the direction tofollow.
follow. However,
However, not
not until
until after
afterthe
the1973
1973 Yom
Yom
Kippur
Kippur War
Wardid didthese
thesepeople
people feel
feel a need
need to
to organize
organize politically.
politically. Amid
Arnidthe
thegloomy
gloomy public
public mood
mood
occasioned
occasioned by by the
the first
first territorial concessions in the Sinai Peninsula (required
territorial concessions (required by
by the
the disengagement
disengagement
Egypt), the
agreement with Egypt), the founders
founders ofofGush
GushEmunim
Emunimdetermined
determined to to oppose
opposefurther
further territorial
territorial
concessions
concessions andand promote
promote the extension
extension ofofIsraeli
Israeli sovereignty
sovereignty over
over the
the occupied
occupied territories.
territories.
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The founding meeting

meeting ofofGush
Gush Emunim
Emunim took
took place
place in
in March
March 1974
1974 at
at Kfar
Kfar Etzion, a West Bank kibbutz
kibbutz
that had
that had been
been seized
seized by the Arabs in the War
War of Independence and and recovered
recovered by Israelin
by Israel inthe
theSix-Day
Six-Day
War.
War. This
This meeting hadhad been preceded
preceded by by infonnal
informal discussions
discussions in in which leading roles hadhad been
been played
played by
fonner
former students
students ofof Rabbi
Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook. At first, Gush Emunim Emunim \Vaswas a faction
faction within the National
Religious Party (NRP),
Religious Party (NRP), which
which at
at that
that time was aa partner
partner in
in the
the labor
laborcoalition
coalition govenunent.
government. Distrustful
Distrustfulof
of
the NRP's position concerning
concerning the
the future
future of
ofJudea
Judea and Samaria,
Samaria, thethe Gush
Gush people
people soon left the
the party and
declared their
their movement's
movement's independence.
independence. SinceSince then,
then, they have refused
refused to
to identify
identify with
with any
any political
party and
and have
have gained a unique political status,
status, a combination of of pioneering settlement organization,
extraparliamentary movement.
powerful pressure group, and wild extraparliamentary movement. ThisThis combination of of inner and outer
systemic operation proved highly effective
effective and fruitful.~
and fruitful.2
Under
Under the Labor-led
Labor-led govenunent
government ofYitzhak
of Yitzhak Rabin
Rabin (1974-77),
(1974-77), Gush Emunim pursued threetypes
pursued three types of
of
activity: it protested the interim agreements with Egypt and Syria; it staged demonstrations in Judea and and
Samaria
Samaria to attachment to
to underscore the Jewish attachment to those parts ofEretz
those parts of Eretz Yisrael
Yisrael (the
(the Land
Land of
of Israel,
Israel, or
or biblical
biblical
Palestine); and it carried out settlement operations in the occupied territories.
territories.
The most controversial issue

issue pursued
pursued by Gush Emunim was the demand demand toto settle
settle the
the densely
densely populated
Arab
Arab Samaria.
Samaria. Basing
Basing its claim on God's promise to Abraham
Abraham some
some 5,000 years earlier, Gush Emunim
govenunent's pragmatic
challenged the government's pragmatic Allon
Allon plan to
to avoid Jewish settlement in Samaria
Samaria at
atall
allcosts.
costs. The
The
result was a political power struggle which
which ended,
ended, surprisingly, with Emunim's
Emunim's success.
success. Through
countleSs illicit settlement
countless illicit settlement efforts
efforts and
and street demonstrations,
demonstrations, the
the young
young pioneers
pioneers ofof Gush Emunim
Emunim gotgot
.what they wanted:
wanted: several semiofficial
semiofficial settlements
settlementsininSamaria,
Samaria, the heartland
heartland of historic Eretz
Eretz Yisrael.
Yisrael.
The Likud victory in in the elections of May .1977

elections of and the declaration
1977 and declara,tion of
of thejxime
theprime minister designate
Menachem Begin
Begin that
that "we will have
have many
many more Elon Morehs"
Morebs" induced
induced Gush
Gush Emunim
Emunimleaders
leaderstotobelieve
believe
over.2 And
in all sincerity that their extralegal period was over.§- Andindeed
indeedthe
thenew
new regime
regime accorded
accorded them
them full
full
were allowed
legitimacy. They were allowed toto settle
settleSamaria.
Samaria. Their settlement organization, Amana, was
organization, Amana, was legitimized
legitimized
as an official settlement movement. Many of of them welcomed this official
official acceptance
acceptance and were happy to
shed their extremist image.
But Gush Emunim did did not

not rejoice
rejoice for
for long.
long. Despite the Gush's
Gush's expectations,
expectations, the
the government
government diddid not
not come
come
up with a large-scale settlement program.
program. The The constraints
constraintsof
of daily
daily poJicymaking,
policymaking, Begin's
Begin's failing health,
health,
and especially the pressures ofofthe
the American government all began to leave leave their
their mark on the cabinet.
The government was still sympathetic—Minister
sympathetic-Minister of of Agriculture Ariel Sharon
Sharon did
did not conceal his
not conceal his
affection for Gush
Gush Emunim—but
Emunim-but itit gradually
gradually became
became clear
clear that
that even
even under
Wlder a Likud administration itit
might have to use the
the extralegal
extralegal tactics
tactics itit had
had devised
devised during
during the Rabin regime.
f'
The Emergence of the Underground
September 17, 1978,

1978, was
was the
the lowest
lowestpoint
point inin the
the short
short history of
of Gush Emunim.
Emunim. Menachem
Menachem Begin,Begin,
. Israel's
Israel's prime
prime minister,
minister, signed
signed the
the Camp
Camp David
David Accords
Accords with
with Egypt
Egypt and
and the
theUnited
United States,
States, leaving
leaving
Emunim's people stunned and
Emunim's people and inin disbelief.
disbelief. His agreement to to return
returnall
allof
ofSinai
Sinai to
tothe
theEgyptians,
Egyptians,as as well
well
as his initiation of
ofthe Autonomy
Autonomy Plan Plan (for the Palestinians of of the West Bank and and Ghaza),
Ghaza), was
inconceivable
inconceivable to them. ForFor many years, these people had had led themselves to believe that Begin, the great
champion of ofWldivided Eretz Yisrael,
undivided Eretz Yisrael, was
was their
their best
best insurance
insurance against territorial
territorialcompromise
compromise withwith the
Arabs.
Arabs. Most of of them were
were not
not Begin's
Begin's traditional
traditional supporters
supportersbutbutcame
cametotoidentify withhim
identifywith himpolitically.
politically. His
His
commitments to have have "many
"many more
more Elon
Elon Morehs"
Morehs" had had for them a special appeal.
appeal.
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Accords presented
The Camp David Accords presented to Gush Emunim
Emunirn a challenge of ofunprecedented
unprecedented magnitude. The
signified a.ahurnan
accords signified human (Begin) error capable
(Begin) error capable of
of stopping, or at
at least
least halting,
halting, an
an inevitable
inevitable divine
process, the process ofofredemption.
redemption. How were
were they,
they. members
members ofof a young and inexperienced political
movement, to
movement, to respond?
respond? Even
Even their
their elderly rabbis were not sure, and most of
elderly rabbis of the reactions indicated
despair and
and confusion.1
confusion.2 For a while it looked as ifif Gush Emunirn would fold. .
Gush Emunim .
The most extreme reaction to the Camp 'David David Accords was not known until the April 1984 arrest of
April 1984 of the
members of ofthe
the Gush
Gush Emunim
Emunim underground.
underground. When it was firstfirst apprehended, and and aa long
long time after the
beginning of
beginning ofits
its trial,
trial, the group was considered an ad hoc terror
terror team
team aimed at at avenging PLO terrorism.
However, itit is
is now
now established
establishedthat
that the first contacts of
of the leaders
leaders of of the group
group took
took place
place late
late in
in 1978
and had
had nothing
nothing to to do
do with revenge against ArabArab terrorism.
terrorism.TheTheonlyonly issue
issue on
on their
theiragenda
agendawaswas blowing
blowing
up what they called the abomination—the
abomination-the Muslim Dome Dome ofofthe Rock.~ The idea
the Rock:a was brought up
idea.was up byby two
remarkable individuals,
remarkable individuals, Yeshua
Yeshua Ben
Ben Shoshan and and Yehuda
Yehuda Etzion.
Etzion. Both
Bothmen,
men, although
althoughclosely
closely affiliated
Emunirn and its settlement drive,
with Gush Emunim drive, were nevertheless not typical members.
members. MoreMore than
than most
most ofof
their colleagues, they
they were
were intensely
intensely preoccupied
preoccupied with
with the
the mysteries of ofthe
the process
process ofofregeneration
regeneration that
was about to bring the Jewish People—perhaps
People-perhaps in their own own lifetime-to
lifetime—to its redemption.
Ben Shoshan
The Kabbalistic Ben Shosban and
and the
the Zealot
Zealot Etzion
Etzion brought
brought the disappointment of of Gush Emunim from
the Camp David Accords to its peak. Literally messianic, the two convinced themselves
themselves that
that the historical
setback must have had a deeper
deeper cause
cause than
than Begin's
Begin's simple
simple weakness.
weakness. It was a direct
direct signal
signal from
from Heaven
that a major
that major national offence was committed, a sin that was responsible for the political disaster and its
nationaloffence
immense spiritual consequences. OnlyOnly one
one prominent
prominent act ofof desecration could match the magnitude of of the
setback: the presence of
setback: of the Muslims and their shrine
shrine on
on Temple
Temple Mount,
Mount, the
the holiest
holiest Jewish
Jewish site, the
sacred place of
ofthe
the first,
first, second
second and
and third temples.22
third (future) temples.
It is not precisely clear when the group was seriously solidifiedsolidified by by the
the two,
two, and what
and under what conditions.
But the most important
important development
development in those early years certainly took place in Yehuda Etzion's mind.
This energetic
energetic young
young manman discovered
discoveredthe thewritings
writings ofofan
anunknown
unknown ultranationalist
ultranationalist thinker Shabtai
Shabtai Ben
Ben
BenDov,
Dov. Ben Dov,whowhofor foryears
yearswas
wasan anunimportant
unimportant official
officialininIsrael's
Israel's Ministry
Ministry of
ofIndustry
Industry and Commerce,
developed in
developed in total
total isolation grand theory of
isOlation aa grand of active national redemption.
redemption. Among
Among other notions,
notions, the new
theory brought life into such ideas as the resumption
brought life resumption of of the
the biblical
biblical kingdom ofIsrael
of Israel and
and the
the building
building of
of
the third temple. The man wrote about territorial
territorial expansion,
expansion, national moralmoral expurgation, and the
establishment of ofJewish
Jewish law
law in
in Israel.
Israel. Drawing
Drawing on on the
the almost
almost forgotten
forgotten tradition
tradition of
ofultranationalist poet
Uri Zvi Grinberg,
Grinberg, butbut with
with a post-1967
post-1967 religious enthusiasm, Ben Dov Dov dared
dared to think the unthinkable-a
unthinkable—a
transformation of
total and concrete transformation of the
the nation
nation into
into aasacred
sacredpeople
peopleandandaaholy
holystate.
state.No
No one,
one, including
rabbis, had
Gush Emunim rabbis, haddone
doneititbefore.
before.Etzion,
Etzion,who
whoonly
only slowly
slowly absorbed
absorbedhishis new
new discovery
discovery of the
writings of Dov, decided
of Ben Dov, decided toto devote
devotehimself
himselfcompletely
completelyto to their
their publication.
publication.lQ
1D By
By 1979, Ben Dov was
dead after a long illness. But the mind ofYehuda
But in the of Yehuda Etzion, his ideas were very much alive.
Some time early in 1980

Some 1980 aa secret
secret meeting
meeting was
was convened
convened byby Yehuda
Yehuda Etzion
Etzion and
and his friend Menachem
Livni. The meeting was attended
attendedby byeight
eightmen.!! Thiswas
men. This wasthethefirst
firsttime
time in
in which
which the
the Temple Mount
operation was spelled out in greatgreat detail. The main speaker
speaker waswas Yehuda
Yehuda Etzion,
Etzion, who
who presented
presented his
his new
redemption theology in its
theology in its grand
grand contours. Etzion told the group that that the
theremoval
removalofof the
the Muslim
Muslim mosques
mosques
spark a new light
would spark light in
in the
thenation
nation and
and would
wouldtrigger
trigger aa major
major spiritual revolution. He appeared
appeared
that the operation
convinced that operation would
would solve once and for all the problems
problems of of the
the peOple
people ofIsrael.
of Israel. His tone
and spirit were prophetic andand messianic.
messianic.12ll The other speakers
speakers were
were more
more cautious.
cautious. They raised technical
as substantial
as well as substantial political questions. SomeSome did
did not believe
believe the
the job
job could bebe tackled
tackled operationally,
operationally. and
others worried about the political and international
about the internationalconsequences.
consequences. Menachem
Menachem Livni,
Livni, a Hebron engineer
and captain in the reserves who emerged as the operational head of of the group and thethe most considerate
and balanced person,
and person, agreed with Etzion in in principle.
principle. He
He was,
was, however, apprehensive about about the
the immense
immense
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consequences. Livni's conclusion,

consequences. Livni's conclusion,accepted
acceptedby
bythe
therest
rest of
ofthe
thegroup,
group, was
was that
that concrete
concrete preparations
preparations for
for
blowing up
blowing up the Dome
Dome ofofthe
the Rock
Rock could
couldstart
start immediately, irrespective of of a final
final operative
operative decisiolL
decision.
There were so many details to bebe worked
worked out that the
the question
question of
of a final
final decision
decision to strike was
irrelevant.
irrelevant, 13
May of
of1980
1980was
wasaacritical
criticalmonth
monthfor for the
the evolution
evolution ofofthe
the Jewish
Jewish underground.
underground. On Friday,
Friday, MayMay 3,3, aa
group of yeshivastudents
of yeshiva students returning
returning to Hadassah House in in Hebron
Hebron from a sabbath prayer
prayerwaswas fired
fired upon
upon
close range.
by Arabs at close range. Six
Six students
students died
died instantly
instantly and several others were wounded. The attack attack was
was not
an isolated case. It came against the background
background of of growing
growing anti-Jewish"violence
anti-Jewistfviolence in Hebron and in other
parts of
of Judea and Samaria.
Samaria. TIle
The settler community was certain that that the
the attack
attackwas
was masterminded
masterminded by by the
Palestinian National Guidance Committee
Committee in in Judea
Judea and Samaria,
Samaria, an an unofficial
unofficial PLO front
front orgariization
organization
which was allowed
allowed by DefenseMinister
by Defense MinisterEzer
Ezer Weizman
Weizman to to operate
operate almost freely. It was generally felt that
massive settler
only a massive settler retaliation could put put things backin
things back inorder.
order.Following
Followingtwo twounofficial
unofficial meetings
meetings in in
Kiryat Arba,
Arba, attended
attendedby by the
the communal
communal rabbis,
rabbis,ititwas
wasdecided
decidedto toact.
act.Menachem
Menachem Livni,
Livni, aa local
local resident,
knew whom
whom to contact-hisfriend
to contact—his friendand partner in the planned
andpartner planned operation
operation at
at the
theTemple
Temple Mount,
Mount, Yehuda
Yehuda
Etzion. 14 Insteadofofcommitting
Etzion.14 Instead committingaaretaliatory
retaliatorymass
massmurder,
murder, in in the custom of Arab terrorists,
ofArab terrorists, the
the two
two
decided to strike at the top. The cars of five Arab leaders most active in the National Guidance
Committee were to be blown up. The plan was to injure injure these
these people
people severely
severely without
without killing
killing them.
them. The
invalid leaders were to remain
remain aa living
living symbol for for a long
long time to to come.
come.
The "mayors affair"

affair"was
was crowned
crowned with
with partial
partialsuccess. Twoof
success.Two of the
the leaders
leadersinvolved,
involved, Mayor
Mayor Bassam
Bassam
Shakaa of
of Nab Ius and Mayor Karim
Nablus Karim KhalefofRamalla,
Ithalef of Ramalla, were
were instantly
instantly crippled.
crippled.Two
Two others
others were
were saved
saved
demolition teams
when the demolition teams failed
failed to
to wire
wiretheir cars~ The fifth case ended with an Israeli tragedy.
their cars: tragedy. The
The
mayor ofEI
of El Bireht whose garage was also set up to to explode,
explode, was notnot at
at home.
home. A
A police
police demolition expert
rushed to
to the
the place
place [and]
[and] had
had mistakenly
mistakenly activated
activatedthe
theexplosive
explosivedevice.
device. He was seriously wounded and
blinded. .
While the "mayors

"mayors affair"
affair" had
had nono direct
direct relation
relation to
to the
theparadigmatic
paradigmaticidea ideaofofthe
thegroup,
group,the theTemple
Temple Mount
Mount
plot, it apparently boosted thethe spirits ofthe
spirits of the plotters,
plotters, for
for the settlers inin Judea and Samaria applauded
applauded it
overwhelmingly.
overwhelmingly. The The group
group thus
thus resumed
resumed preparations
preparations for forits
itsassault
assaultononthe
theDome
Dome of of the
the Rock.
Rock. Indeed,
Etzion, who masterminded the plant and Livni,
plant and Livni, an
an expert
experton onexplosives.
explosives, studied Temple Mount and the
Dome of ofthe
the Rock
Rock inin minute detail for two years.
years. Following dozens of of surveillance hikes to the mount,mount, a
study of
careful construction study of the mosque, and and the
the theft
theftof of aa huge
huge quantity
quantityof ofexplosives
explosives fromfrom a military
camp in the Golan Heights, a full attack plan was worked worked out. out. Twenty-eight
Twenty-eight precision
precision bombs
bombs were
were .
manufactured to
manufactured to destroy
destroy the
the Dome without causing any damage to its surroundings. surroundings~ The The architects
architects of
of the
operation planned to approach
approach thethe place
place silently butwere
but were ready
ready toto kill the guards
guards if if necessary. For that
purpose they purchased
purchased special Uzi silencers
silencers and
and gas canisters. More than than twenty people were to take part
in the operatiolL ll Since the time of
operation.11 ofthe
the final Israeli evacuation
evacuation of of the Jewish settlements
settlements inSinai
in Sinai agreed
upon in the peace
peace treaty was
was approaching
approaching rapidly, the the operation,
operation, which
which could prevent it and and reverse
reverse the
the .
whole peace
peace process,
process, was
wasto
to take
take place
place no
no later
later than early
early 1982
1982..
./
The underground
underground suffered,
suffered, however,
however, fromfrom one major
major drawback.
drawback.NoneNoneof of the
the individuals
individuals involved,
involved,
including Etzion, Livni,
Livni, and
and Ben
BenShoshan,
Shoshan, was wasan
anauthoritative
aUthoritative rabbi.
rabbi. The question of of a rabbinical
authority
authority had
had already
alreadycomecome up
up in
in the
the first
firstmeeting
meetinginin 1980.
1980. Most
Most ofof the members
members of of the group
group made
made it
clear that they could not operate without the blessing of
that they recognized rabbi. But all the rabbis
of a recognized rabbis the
the group
approached, including Gush Emunim's mentor
approached, mentor Rabbi
RabbiZviZvi Yehuda
Yehuda Kook,
Kook, refused
refused to to grant
grant their
theirblessings.
blessings.
It is not clear how much of of the planned strike had hadbeen
been spelled
spelled out
out to
to these
these authorities.
authorities.ButBut Livni,
Livni, who
who
needed the rabbinical approval,
approval, was left with no doubt.
doubt. He did not have a green green light
light. When the final date
of decision arrived,
of decision arrived, itit was
was patently
patently clear
clear that only two individuals were ready to proceed, the originators
of Etzion and
of the idea, Etzion and BenBen Shoshan.
Shoshan. The grand plan had
The grand had to
to be
be shelved.
shelved.,
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The indefinite postponment in 1982 1982 ofofthe

theTemple
TempleMount
Mountoperation
operation signified
signifiedaamajor
major break
break in the short
history of
of the
the Gush
Gush Emunim
Emunim underground. meant, for
underground. It meant, for all
all practical
practical purposes,
purposes, the
the removal
removal of of the
part of
millennarian part of the plan—the
plan-the aspect so attractive and dear to Etzion and Ben Shoshan—from the
and dear to Etzion an,d Ben Shoshan-from
agenda. It is therefore not surprising that
that when
when the
the underground
undergroundstruckstruckagain
againininJuly
July1983,
1983,the
the two
two played
played
minor roles. The operation took place in the Islamic college college of
ofHebron
Hebron in response to the murder murder of of a
Yeshiva
Yeshiva student.
student. It was deadly. Following
Followingan anopen
openattack
attack on
on the
the school,
school, just
just after
after its
its noon
noon break,
break, three
students were killed and 33 wounded. While
.students While logistical
logisticalsupport
support was
was provided
provided by by former
former group members,
the operation itself
itself was
was carried
carried out by three men who were not involved
involved in in the
the "mayors
"mayors affair." All three
affair." All
were extremist settlers in Hebron recruited
recruited by Menachem Livni
by Menachem Livni (who
(who masterminded
masterminded the the action).
action). The
attack not as sophisticated
attack was not sophisticated as
as the
the first
firstbut
butotherwise
otherwisefollowed
followed thethesame
same logic.
logic. It
It was
was waged
waged in
response to a growing wavewave ofofanti-Jewish
anti-Jewish violence,
violence, culminating
culminating in in the
the murder
murder of a Yeshiva student in
broad daylight. It expressed fatalism and a growing frustration with the
frustration with the government's
government's inability
inability to
to defend
the settlers, and it was approved
approved by by rabbinical authorities. 16 It was
rabbinical authorities.16 was followed
followed by some smaller acts acts of
of
terrorism.
The emerging Hebronite fatalism was most visiblevisible in

in the
the last
last major
major operation ofof the group, the
the one meant
to be the most devastating. In a response to a new wave wave ofofArab
Arab terrorism—this
terrorism-this time not in Hebron but in
Jerusalem and near
Jerusalem. and nearAshkelon--Shaul
Ashkelon—Shaul Nir, Nir, the most aggressive member of of the underground, became
underground, became
impatient.
impatient. This young man considered the earlier
earlier attack
attackon onthe
theIslamic
Islamiccollege
college aa great
great success.
success.
Determined to make it a model operation, he managed to convince the local rabbis that that another
anotherdecisive
decisive
needed.l1 Armed
strike was needed.il- Armed with
with their
their authority, he prevailed over the unsure Livni and and made hiril
him plan
an unprecedented
unprecedented brutal
brutalact. FiveArab
act.Five Arabbuses
busesfull
fullof
of passengers
passengers werewere to.be
to be blown
blown upup in
in revenge
revenge for
for
similar attacks Israeli buses by Palestinian
attacks on Israeli Palestinian terrorists.
terrorists.TheThebuses
buses were
were to
to explode
explode on Friday atat 4:30
4:30
p.m.,
p.m.,.at a time and place Jews were notnot expected on on the
the road.
road .
. The explosive
explosive devices
deviceswere
wereplaced
placedunder
underthe
the busses'
busses' fuel tanks to cause maximum damage and
fuel tanks
casualties.1-
casualties.!8.4 Every detail
detail was taken
taken care
careofof ...
. . . except one. By 1984 the Israeli Secret Service had
except one. had finally
spotted the Hebron group.
group. Immediately
Immediately after
after the
the completion
completion of
of the wiring, the whole group was arrested,
arrested,
bringing the secretive
secretive part of the story of
part of of the first Gush Emunim underground
the first underground to to its
its end.
end. The
The open part
part of
of
the tale continues. Ever since the exposure of ofthethe group, a fierce debate about
about its
its legitimacy
legitimacy and
and its
significance has been
significance has been conducted
conducted continuously
continuously within
within Gush
Gush Emunim.
Emunim.
IdeololY
Ideology
Gush Emunim:
Emuniin: Between Messianism and Fundamentalism
BetweeD Messiaailm FUDdameotaUsm
A thorough examination of of the spiritual

spiritual world
world ofof Gush
Gush Emunim,
Emunim,which
which includes
includes its
itstheology,
theology, political
political
ideology, and modes of of behavior, suggests that
behavior, suggests thatthe
themovement
movementisisboth
bothmessianicl2
messianic and fundamentalist. 2o
and finidamentalist. 22
It is messianic because itit maintains
maintains that
that ours is a messianic
ours is a messianic age in which 'redemption
redemption aa relevant
is relevant'concept
concept
and a possible historical event. It It is
is fundamentalist reads the entire historical
fundamentalist because it reads historical reality
reality of our
including the
time, including the indications
indicationsfor
for redemption,
redemption, through
through the
the sacred
sacred scriptures of
of the Torah and the Halakha
and
arid prescribes on this basis a proper mode of of behavior for its members and for the nation.
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The relation between the messianic

messianic component
component of ofGush
Gush Emunim
Emunim andand the fundamentalist
fundamentalist element in the
movement may well well be
be illuminated
illuminated byby comparing
comparing the theologies of ofthe
the two spiritual
spiritual founding fathers
fathers ofof
Avraham Yitzhak
the movement, Rabbi Avraham Yitzhak ha-Cohen
ha-Cohen Kook-the
Kook—the man man who
who before his death
death in
in 1935
ha-Rav-and his son Rabbi
established Yeshivat Mercaz ha-Ray—and Rabbi ZviZvi Yehuda
Yehuda Kook, who succeeded him in the
Kook, who
. Yeshiva and lived longlong enough
enough to to usher
usher in Gush Emunim as a political
political and
and sOcial
social movement. Rabbi
Rabbi Kook
Kook
father, by far
the father, far the more
more original
original thinker
thinkerof of the
the two,
two, believed that the eraera of
of redemption
redemption ofof the Jewish
Jewish
people had
had already begun. It was, he said, markedmarked by by the
the rise
rise of
of modern
modem Zionism the Balfour Declaration,
and the growing Zionist enterprise in Palestine.I!
Palestine.a Kook's
Kook'sinterpretation
interpretation ofof redemption was original and
daring. It signified an immense deviation from from the traditional
traditional Jewish
Jewish belief
belief tl)at
that the
themessiah
messiah could
could only
only
come through
come through the single
single metahistorical
metahistorical appearance
appearance of of an individual redeemer.
redeemer. And there
there were
were clearly
some elements
some elements ofofheresy
heresyin inthe
thenew
newinterpretation,
interpretation, for
for it assigned a holy
holy and
and redemptive status to the
secular Zionists--the
Zionists—the modem,
modern, nonobserving
nonobserving Jews.
Jews. Kook's
Kook's argument that the
argument that the lay
lay Zionists
Zionists were
were
unknowingly God's
unknowingly God's true emissaries did not win him much support. support. This
This distinguished
distinguished man,
man, the
the first
first chief
chief
Rabbi ofof the Jewish community in in Palestine, was
was constantly
constantly castigated
castigated by
by the
the anti-Zionist
anti-Zionist ultra-
orthodoxy.
father never advocated political

But Kook the father political fundamentalism
fundamentalism or "operative messianism."
messianism." Writing in the
and 1930s,
1920s and 1930s, he
he wholly
whollysupported
supported the vision ofof the secular Zionist
Zionist movement,
movement, one
one of
of slow and
prudent progress
progress towards
towards independence.
independence. HeHe did
did not
not establish
establish aa political
political movement
movement andanddid
did not
not call
call for aa
policymaking process
policymaking process based
based on
on aa daily
daily reading
reading of
ofthe
the Torah. The theology that was studied for years in
Yeshivat Mercaz ha-Rav had rio
Yeshivat no immediate consequences and made made nono exclusivist
exclusivist political demands.
. .
Israel's victory
Israel's victory in the Six-Day
Six-Day War transformed
transformed the thestatus
statusof
ofKook's
Kook'stheology.
theology. Suddenly
Suddenly itit became
became clear
to his students that they were indeed living
living in
in the
the messianic
messianic age. Ordinary reality as~ed
age. Ordinary assumed a sacred
aspect; every event possessed
possessed theological
theological meaning
meaning andand was
was part
part of
of the metahistorical
metahistorical process
process of
of
redemption.- shared by
22 Though shared
22 by many
many religious
religious authorities,
authorities,the
theview
viewwas
wasmost
most effectively
effectively expounded by by
Kook's son, Rabbi Zvi Yehuda. This man, who before 1967 1967 was
was only
onlyanan unknown
unknown interpreter
interpreter of
of his
his
father's writings,
father's writings, became
became a leader ofof a fundamentalist
fundamentalist movement
movement.22 ll He defined the state ofIsrael
of Israel as the
halakhic kingdom of oflsrael
Israel and the kingdom ofIsrael
of Israel as the kingdom of earth. Every Jew
of heaven on earth.
living in
living in Israel
Israel was holy; all phenomena, even the secular,
Secular, were inbued with holiness.
holiness.-24 Not only Kook's
24
students but
but the rest
rest of
of the nation
nation was
was expected to recognize
recognize the
the immense
immense transformation
transformation andand to
to behave
The government
accordingly. The goverrunent of
ofIsrael was counted
Israel was counted upon
upon to
to conduct
conduct itsits affairs,
affairs, or at least part
part of
of them.
them,
Maimonides' "rules
according to Maimonides' "rules of
ofkings"
kings" and
and to be
be judged
judged byby these
these rules
rules and
and bybyTorah prescriptions.12
Torah prescriptions.-2 -1
single most
The single most important
important conclusion of ofthe new
new theology
theology had
had to
to do
do with
with Eretz
Eretz Yisrael, the land of
of Israel.
land-everygrain
The land--every grainofofits
itssoil—was
soil-wasdeclared
declaredholy
holyininaafundamental
fimdamental sense.
sense. The
The conquered
conquered territories
territories of
of
Judea and
and Samaria
Samaria had
hadbecome
become inalienable and
and nonnegotiable,
nonnegotiable, notnot as
as aa result
result of
of political or security
reasoning, but because GodGod had
had promised them to Abraham
Abraham 5,000 years earlier, and and because
because the
the identity
ofthe nation was shaped
of promise.~§ Redemption could only take place in the context of
shaped by this promise.1 of greater
Eretz Yisrael, and territorial
territorial withdrawal
withdrawalmeant
meantforfeiting
forfeitingredemption.
redemption.The Theideologists
ideologists of
of Gush Emunim
ruled that Gush had
that the Gush had to
to become
become a settlement movement because settlingsettling Judea
Judea and Samaria
Samaria was
was the
meaningful act
most meaningful ofhuman
act of human participation
participation in the process ofofredemption.
redemption.
messianic enthusiasm
The messianic enthusiasm of ofGush
Gush Emunim,
Emunim, and the conviction of of the spiritual
spiritual heads
heads of of the
the movement
movement
that redemption
redemption waswas at
at hand,
hand, greatly
greatly shaped
shapedthetheoperative
operativeideology
ideology ofof the movement. In fact, fact, it shaped
the lack of
of such ideology.
ideology. The
The heads
heads of
ofthe
the movement,
movement, mostly
mostly rabbis,
rabbis; were very excited about the .
government of of Israel
Israel that had
had commanded the army to its greatestvictory
commanded the army to its greatest victoryever.
ever. Following
Following Rabbi
Rabbi Kook's
theology, they
theology, they were
werecertain
certain that
that the government was the legitimate representative of of the kingdom oflsrael
of Israel
making. 27 Their job,
in the making.22 job, according to this interpretation,
interpretation, was
was not
not to
to contest
contest the goverrunent
government but to
settle Judea
settle Judea and
and Samaria
Samaria and
and to
to make
make sure
sure that,
that, on
on the
the critical
critical issue
issue of
of the
the territories,
territories, the
the nation
nation did
did not
not go
go
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file://D ATextbookCD\lO-Cases\Fundamenmlism,
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and The
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The of ... 1119/2011
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Case 11/9/2011
ACLURM018963
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Case of
of the
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EmunimUndergroun. .. Page
Undergroun... Page99 of32
of 32 .
. astray. That is
astray. That is the reason why Gush Emunim was, for many years, equivocal and and unclear on three critical
issues: the Arabs, democracy,
political issues: democracy, and the rule of law. However, over the years the
of law. the members
members of of the
movement discovered,
movement discovered, to
totheir
their great
great dismay,
dismay, that
that the rest of
of the world was not
not as enthusiastic
enthusiastic about their
prescriptions. There were too many Palestinians in the West Bank who were not thrilled thrilled about
about becoming
becoming
passive
passive observers
observers ofofthe
theJewish
Jewishregeneration
regenerationin in"Judea
"Judea and Samaria." There were
Samaria." There were too
too many
many Israelis
Israelis who
who
were happier with their imperfect democracy than than with
with the
the mystical
mystical and
and unclear vision of
unclearvision of halakhic
redemption. importantof
redemption. And most important of all,
all, there
therewas
was an
anofficially
officially elected
elected government
government whose
whose heads were
either not enthusiastic about
about settling
settling all
all the
the West
West Bank
Bank or,
or, even
even if
if they
they were, felt greatly
greatly bound
bound by
by the
the law
ofthe
of the land
land and by Israel's international
international obligations.
obligations. '
The result ofof the encounter of

of Gush Emunim with the political reality of of the world has has been
been aa very
confused and unsystematic operative ideology. While While thethe leaders ofthe
leaders of the Gush
Gush wanted
wanted to maintain the
constructive and altruistic posture they started
started with,
with, they realized that redemption
redemption could not be reached
could not
without pain. They
They furthermore
furthermore discovered
discoveredthat
that their
their fundamentalist
fundamentalist nature
nature required that that they
they draw their
political inspiration
political inspiration not from the experience
experience ofofthe
the democratic
democratic WestWest but
but from
from thethe tradition ofof the Torah
and the 12th century luminary
luminary Maimonides. The results have been very, very, significant.
significant. The
The Palestinian
Arabs, according to Gush Emunim,
Emunim, do not constitute aa nation
nation and
and are
arenot
notentitled
entitledtotocollective
collective political
political
rights in Eretz Yisrael. The land is not theirs.
Eretz Yisrael. theirs. The
The best
best they
they can
can hope
hope for
for is
is to
to get
get the
the individual
individual rights
rights of
of
what the Torah
Torah calls
calls "stranger
"strangeralien, "the
alien," thealien
alienwhowhofully
fullyrecognizes
recognizes the
thehegemony
hegemony of the Jewish nation,
and is consequently allowed to have full individual residence rights. rights. But ifif the
the Jewish
Jewish hegemony
hegemony is not
recognized and
recognized and upheld
upheld chapter
chapter and verse, then the Palestinians have to be be treated today as the Canaanites
were treated in the old days: either be subdued and and subjected
subjected in Eretz
Eretz Yisrael
Yisrael or be evicted.~
or be evicted.21
Emunim's position
Gush Emunim's position on democracy and and the
the rule
ruleoflaw
of law is equally equivocal. In principle, democracy
give way
is bound to give way to
to halakha
halakha theocracy, but this this does
does not have
have to
to take
take place
place now.
now. If the the government
government of of
Israel fulfills its prescribed duties—settling
duties-settling all thethe land
land and making no territorial
territorialconcessions
concessions to the
Arabs-then democracy and
Arabs—then and the
the prevailing
prevailinglegal
legal system
system may
may be
be allowed
allowed toto function.
function. ButBut if
if conflict
conflict
between democracy
between democracy and and Zionism
Zionism (a(a la
la Gush
Gush Emunim) erupts, then Zionism takes precedence and
Emunim) erupts,
extralegal action becomes legitimate. The
becomes legitimate. The modern
modem state of oflsrael
Israel was not established, according to
Emunim's ideologists,
Emunim's in order
ideologists, in order to have another
another legal democracy under the sun. Two thousand years after
its destruction it was revived for only one one purpose,
purpose, to redeem the nation and and eventually world. The
eventually the world.
prescription for this redemption is not writtenwritten in
in the charter
charterofofthe
the United
United Nations,
Nations, itit is writ large in
is writ in the
Torah, the
Torah, book ofbooks.
the book of books.2212
Yehuda Etzion
Eaion and the
the Theolostv
Theology of Active Redemption
One topic that never was on the agenda of of Gush Emunim was the destruction
destruction ofof Harem El Sharif,
Sharif, the
Muslim Dome of ofthe
the Rock.
Rock. While
Whilemanymany members
members of ofthis
this movement
movement were
were greatly
greatly disturbed
disturbed by by the
"desecrating" presenceof
"desecrating" presence of the
the Muslims-on
Muslims—on the the place
place to
to which
which even
even most Jews were not not allowed
allowed to
enter-almost none of
enter—almost of them thought of blowing up the shrine. shrine. The
The feeling
feeling of
of unease was.
was a product of of the
paradoxical situation created in 1967. While While the
the reunification
reunification of
ofJerusalem
Jerusalem signified
signified the
the nation's
nation's return
return to
its holiest place after 2,000
2,000 years, ruined for religious Jews much of
years, itit also ruined of this achievement.
achievement. The
government of of Israel, acting out of sovereign will,
of its sovereign will,decided
decidedthat
that Temple
Temple Mount
Mount must remain, for for
of political prudence,
reasons of prudence, in Muslim hands.
The fundamentalist members of

of Gush Emuntm managed
managed to
to live with the paradox
paradox because
because of
of their
"Kookist" theology. They believed that the lay government ofIsrael
of Israel was legitimate and
and holy,
holy, that despite
file:IID;\Textbook CO\10·Cases\Fundamentalism,
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Terrorism,and
andDemocracy
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TheCase
Caseofof...... 1119/2011
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its many mistakes it had a bright

bright future.
future. Under
Underthetheguidance
guidanceof of God,
God, they
they felt,
felt, itit was
was bound
bound to change in
to change
time and lead the nation to redemption, just just as
as it had
had in
in the
the Six-Day
Six-Day War.
War. There
There was was aa point
point in
in struggling
against the government on the simple
simple and
and clear
clear issue
issue of
ofsettling
settlingJudea
Judea and
and Samaria, but there there was
was no
sense in disobeying
disobeying itit on
on such
such aa sensitive
sensitiveissue
issueasasTemple
TempleMount.
Mount. The
Thematter
matter had to to be left to God and
imd to
his mysterious ways of ofdirecting
directing the world.
It was on the issue

issue of
ofTemple
TempleMount
Mountthat
that the
the underground
underground deviated sharply from from Gush Emunim,
Emunim, and the
person who soliditied
solidified the challenge to the official theology was Yehuda Etzion. This young man, man, 27
years old when he first developed his his revolutionary theory, was a typical product
revolutionary theory, productofof the
the movement.
movement. While
he himself
himself did
did not study in Mercaz
Mercaz ha-Rav,
ha-Ray, his his rabbi
rabbiininYeshivat
YeshivatAlon
MonShvut
Shvutwas
wasYoel
Yoel Ben
BenNun,
Nun, one
one of
of
graduates of
the most influential graduates of"Mercaz."
"Mercaz." 2(1 30 But something happened
happened to to Etzion
Etzion in
in 1978. Probably as a
result of
of the crisis of
of Camp David and because of of his immense interest
interest in the mystery ofof redemption,
redemption, he.
he
discovered aa whole
whole newnewworld,
world,the
theultranationalist
ultranationalist tradition
tradition worked out by the poet Uri Zvi Grinberg in
the 1930s,
I 930s, the
the tradition
tradition of
ofthe
the "Kingdom
"Kingdom of ofIsrael."
Israel."
The unique feature

feature ofof this vision (which
(which in
in Etzion's
Etzion's case was redeveloped
redeveloped by by the
the unknown
unknown thinker
Shabtai Ben Dov) was
Shabtai was that
that it spelled out the notion of active redemption.
redemption. According
According to
to Ben
Ben Dov, there
was no need
need to wait
wait for
for another
another miracle. All thethe conditions
conditions for for concrete
concrete redemption
redemption were already present;
one had merely to act.
act. The revolutionary
revolutionary element
elementin in Ben
Ben Doys
Dov's ideology
ideology was his concept of
of redemption.
He spoke
spoke about building
building the Third Temple and the institutionalization
institutionalization of
of Jewish
Jewish theocracy on earth.
earth. He
envisioned aa system
envisioned systemgoverned
governedby byTorah
Torahlaw
lawandandrun
run bybyaa supreme
supreme rabbinical
rabbinical court and a Sanhedrin (the
council of
ofthe
the seventy
seventy wise
wise men).
men). None
Noneofofthe
theleaders
leaders and
and ideologists
ideologists of
ofGush
Gush Emunim
Emunim had
had ever spoken
in such concrete tenns.
terms. None
None of them
them dared
daredpress
pressthetheissue.l!
issue.n
It is
is not
not clear
clear whether
whether Etzion
Etzionwould
wouldhave
have followed
followed the
the ideology
ideology ofof Ben Dov had the debacle of of Camp
David not taken place. But in 1978
1978 he
he started
started to develop a thorough
thorough'intellectual
intellectual critique
critique of
of Gush Emunim
and the of Rabbi
the ideology of Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook. Etzion's new theology was only written down and published
after he was sent to prison in 1984,
1984, but
but there is no doubt that
that this
this is
is the
the system that
that inspired
inspired his
his activity
activity
within the underground.
The main thrust

thrust of
of the
the new theory
theory is directed against
against Kook's subservience to
Kook's subservience to the
the lay
lay government:oflsrael.
government of Israel.
understand why
Etzion could not understand why Gush Emunim, which has
Emunim, which has identified
identified the
the messianic
messianic quality of
of the present
time, should wait until the secular politicians reach the same conclusion. He refused to grant a full
legitimacy to "erroneous"
legitimacy to "erroneous" rulers
rulers who
who were
were committing outrageous
outrageous mistakes.
mistakes. Attacking
Attacking the
the spirit
spirit of
of
ha-Rav, the fountainhead
Mercaz ha-Ray, fountainhead ofof Emunim's
Emunim's ideology,
ideology, he wrote,
.... thesense
. the senseofof criticism-whichisisa aprimary
criticism—which primarycondition
conditionfor forany
any correction—perished
correction-perished here
State of
entirely. The State ofIsrael was granted
Israel was granted inin Mercaz
Mercaz ha-Ray,
ha-Rav, an unlimited and independent
credit. Its operations--even
operations—even thosethose that
that stand
stand in
in contrast
contrast to the model of oflsrael's Torah-are
Israel's Torah—are
conceived of
conceived ofas
as"God's
"God's will,"
will," or
or aa revelation
revelation ofofhis
his grace.
grace. There
There isis no
no doubt
doubt that
that had the state
announced its sovereignty
sovereignty inin our
our holy
holy mountain,
'mountain, driving thereby the the Waqf(the
Waqf (the Muslim
Muslim
authority-E.S.) out and removing
religious authority—E.S.) removing thethe Dome
Dome of of the
the Rock-it
Rock—it would
would have
have won a
full religious backing.
backing. The voice
voice coming
comingfromfrom the
the school
schoolwould
wouldhavehavesaid
said"strengthen
"strengthen Israel
in greatness and crown Israel with glory." glory." But now that that the
the state
statedoes
does nothing,
nothing, what
what do
do we
we
hear? That
That these acts are
are prohibited
prohibitedbecause
because itit is
is not
not allowed.
allowed. Moreover, letting the Arabs
stay is a grace ofofGod
God since
since we
weare,
are, anyway,
anyway, notnot allowed
allowed into
into the
the mount.12
mount.JZ
ha-Rav, and by implication Gush Emunim

Yeshivat Mercaz ha-Ray, itself, has
Emunim itself, has become
become aa support
supportsystem
system of of
secular Zionism according to Etzion. Narrowing
Narrowing its
its perspectives down to
perspectives down to settlement
settlement only,
only, itit does
does not
think in grand
think grand tenns,
terms, does
does not
not challenge
challenge the
the inactive
inactive government
govenunent ofIsrael,and
of Israel, and fails
fails to do what God
wishes it to do.
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The of ... 1119/2011
of...
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What, then, is to be done? What direction should the misled Gush

Gush Emunim
Emunim have
have taken,
taken, had its rabbis read
mbbisread
the Torah "correctly?"
"correctly?"Following
Following Ben Dov
Dov and
and the
the ultranationalist
ultranationalist School of
ofthe
the "Kingdom
"Kingdom of IsraeL7
oflsrael:
Etzion maintains emphatically that the Torah
Torah portrays
portraysthe
the"deserved
"deservedmodel"
model"ofoflife
life as
as aa nation.
nation. This
This is,
....
. . the proper kingdom ofIsrael
of Israel that
that we
we have to establish here
here between the two rivers (the
.Euphrates
Euphfates andandthetheNile-E.
Nile—E. S.). This kingdom will be be directed
directed by the Supreme Court
Court which
which
is bound to to sit on the placet chosen by God to emit his inspirationt
inspimtiont aasite
site which
which will
will have a
temple, an altar, and aa king
altar, and king chosen
chosen by God.
God. All the people of
of Israel will inherit
inherit the land to
labor and to keep.2- 33
1 '
Etzion's deviation from the standard

standardtheology
theology of
of Gush
Gush Emunim
Emunim isis thusthus very
very clear.
clear. By
By his
his thinking,
thinking, itit is
fully legitimate
legitimate to portray now the contours of the final
to portray of redemption, including a theocratic
final stage of
government centered on TempleTemple Mount
Mount and
and a country that
that controls,
controls, in addition to present-day Israel,
Israel, the
Sinai, Jordan, Syria, and parts of of Lebanon and Iraq. Moreover, itit is
Iraq. Moreover, is mandatory
mandatory toto strive now for the
ofthis
fullfilment of this vision,
vision, and
and Gush
Gush Emunim
Emunim oror another devoted movement should take the the lead in the
forthcoming struggle.
Why did Etzion focus on

on Temple
Temple Mount?
Mount? How How did
did he
he justify
justify an
an operation
opemtion more incredible and dangerous
than any anti-Amb
anti-Arab plan
planever
everconceived
conceived of
of in Israel
Israel since
since the
the beginning
beginning of
of Zionism in the 19th
19th century?
does the
How does the Temple
TempleMount
Mount operation
operation fit
fit into
into Etzion's of redemption? In aa unique
Etzion's general theory of
monograph, Temple Mount,
Mount, published while in jail, Etzion explained,
David's property in Temple Mount is is therefore

therefore a real and eternal
eternal property
propertyin
inthe
thename
name of
of all
Israel. It was
Israel. was never invalidated
invalidated and
andnever
neverwill
will be.
be. No
No legality, or ownership
ownership claim, which are
, not made in the name
name of
ofIsrael
Israel and
and for
for the
the need
need of
ofrebuilding
rebuilding the
the temple,
temple,are
arevalid.-M
valid. 34
expmgation of
The expurgation ofTemple
TempleMount
Mountwill
willprepare
preparethe
thehearts
hearts for
for the
the understanding
understanding and further
advancing of redemption. The purified
of our full redemption. purified Mount
Mountshall
shallbe-if
be—if God
God wishes-the
wishes—the ground
and the anvil for the
the future
future process
process of
of promoting
promotingthethenext
nextholy elevation:Ji
holyelevation. 11
The redemption ofof the nation was stopped, according to to Etzion,

Etzion, on
on Temple
Temple Mount.
Mount. Not
Not until
until its
expurgation-a step that had to be taken by the government of
expurgation—a of Israel but wasn't~ould
Ismel but wasn't—could the
the grand
grand prOcess
process
be renewed. And
be And since
since"this
"this horrible
horrible state
state of
ofaffairs"
affairs" was not corrected by the government but was rather
backed by it, the task had to be fulfilled by the most devoted and dedicated.
But how did Etzion, aa very

very intelligent
intelligent and
and educated man, believe
believe that
that Israel could go unharmed
unhanned with the
destruction of Dome of
of the Dome ofthe
theRock?
Rock?HowHowcould
couldititconquer
conquerJordan,
Jordan, Syria,
Syria, parts
parts of Iraq and
of Egypt, Iraq
Lebanon and
and transform
transformitself,
itself, in front
front of
of the
the rest
rest of
of the
the world,
world, into
into aa Khomeini-like
Khomeini-like theocracy? What did
Etzion think about the constraints of political reality?
Etiion, and talking to him, reveals a unique combination of an

Reading Etzion, an other-worldly
other-worldly messianic
messianic spirit
very logical mind, a man who talks and thinks
and a very thinks in
in the
the language
language of
of this
this world
world buttotally lives in
but totally lives
another. Etzion's
another. Etzion's response
response to
to these questions is based on the only intellectual explanatory construct
possible: a distinction between the laws of
of existence and the laws of
ofdestiny.
destiny.
Securing and preserving 'life or its

life or itspreservation
preservation isis an
an "utmost
"utmost norm"
norm" for
for all
all the living
living nature,
for humanity
humanity in general-and
general—and for us, Israel,
Israel, too. This is indeed aa norm that
that dictates
dictates laws,
laws, and
in the name of people go
of which, people goto towar.
war. But
But as
as for
for ourselves
ourselves "our
"our God is not theirs."
theirs." Not
Not only
only
experience different
is our existential experience different from
from theirs
theirs but also from their very
very definition. For the
Gentiles, life is mainly a life of
of existence, while ours is a life ofof destiny, the .life
life of
of a kingdom
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...
of
of priests and a holy people. We
We exist
exist in
in the
the world
world in
in order to actualize destiny.36
destiny.M
the constraints
The question about the constraintsof
ofpolitical
politicalreality
realityisisrelevant
relevantonly
onlytotothose
thosewho
wholive
live by
by the
the laws
laws of
of
existence. But,
Once adopting the the laws of

of destiny instead
instead of
of the
the laws
laws of
of existence, Israel will be no more an
Israel will an
ordinary state,
ordinary state, one
one whose
whose eyes are rolled from
from hour
hourto
tohour
hour...
. . .she
shewill
will become
become the kingdom
kingdom
of
of Israel by
by its very essence.
It is therefore impossible
It impossible toto "stick" present state
"stick" to the present state some
some "good advices,"
advices," regarding
regarding its
its
specific behavior
specific behavior in an isolated "local" situation in
"local" situation inthe
thename
nameofofthe
thelaws
lawsof
of destiny.
destiny. The
The stage
stage
of
ofthis change will
will take
take place, inevitably, in the imniense
immense comprehensive
comprehensive move
move ofof the
transformation from
transformation from the
the state
state of
of Israel
Israel to
to the kingdom of of Israel." J1
Israel." 17
Temple Mount
Operation Temple MOWlt was bound,
boWld, according to Etzion, to trigger the transformation
transformationofof the
the state
stateofof
Israel from
Israel from one
one system ofof laws
laws to
to another.
another. It was meant
meant to
to elevate the nation
nation now
now to the status
status of
of the
the
kingdom of of Israel, a kingdom ofof priests capable
capable of
of actualizing
actualizing the
the laws
laws of
of destiny and
and of
of changing the the
nature of the world.
nature of
Terrorism
A close
close study
study of
ofthe
the underground
WldergroWld suggests that that while
while itit was
was mainly
mainly shaped
shaped byby the
the millenarian
millenariantheology
theology of
of
Yehuda Etzion, it ended up with rugged vigilante terrorism.
terrorism.ThisThis internal
internalevolution,
evolution,which
which left
left Etzion
Etzion
himself isolated
himself isolated and
and disappointed, is a revealing exercise. It shows the course through through which
which idealistic
dreams produce idealistic terrorism and the way in which idealistic terrorism is routiniZed
terrorism is routinized into
terrorism. While the Jewish underground
professional terrorism. underground was was caught
caughtbefore
before its
itsevolution
evolution into
into aa professional
professional
orgAni7ationof
organization killers, it had all
of killers, all the potential ingredients
ingredients within it.
Toward MilleDarian OoeradoD That Did Not Take Place

Millenarian Terrorism: The Operation
There is no question
question that the fundamental
fundamental psychopolitica1framework
psychopolitical framework for forthe
the emergence
emergence of of the
Wlderground
underground waswas formed
formed within
within Gush
Gush Emunim
Emunim long
long before
before the
the pact
pact among Etzion and
among Etzion and his
his friends.
friends. This
This
framework
framework was
was constructed
constructed with
with the
the ideology
ideology of Rabbi
Rabbi Zvi
Zvi Yehuda
Yehuda Kook,
Kook, who
who created
created within
within his
his
followers immense expectitions.
expect8tions.Many
Manyobservers
observers of
ofGush
Gush Emunim have not not failed
failed to
to identify
identify its
behavioral messianic craze,
craze, that
that extra-normal
extra-normal quality
qualityof
of intense
intense excitement
excitement and hypemomian behavio~
and hypemomian behaviorM
that produced
that produced within
within many
many members·
members of of the movement
movement constant
constant expectations
expectations ofof progress toward
redemption.12
22 David Rapoport,
Rapoport, who studied the affinity between terrorism andmessianism,
terrorism and messianism, recently
recently
observed that:
that:
Once a messianic
messianic advent
advent is
is seen
seen as
as imminent,
imminent, particular elements of
particular elements of aa messianic doctrine
become critical in pulling aa believer in the direction of terror.~
terror:ill
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Rapoport argued convincingly that messianism-once

messianism—once it becomes operational-and
operational—and 'terrorism
terrorism imply
extranormal behavior, a pattern of
extranonnal behavior,. of action and orientation which is predicated on
on the conviction that
that the
traditional conventions of
of morality and conduct are not binding.
Under certain conditions, that usually imply a failure ofan

of an expected redemption to materialize, it is
possible, according to Rapoport, for messianic people to resort to extranormal acts of violence.
violence. Either
because they want to prove to themselves that redemption remains relevant, or because they wantto
want to
convince God that this is the case, they may opt for exceptional catastrophe.1il1 Menachem Livni,
case,they Livni, the
the
operational "commander" of of the underground, described to his investigators how it was all born.
born.
Shortly after President Sadat's Visit

visit oflsrael,
of Israel, I was approached by a friend who showed me
the picture of
of the Dome ofof the Rock on Temple Mount-to
Mount—to which I shaU shall heretofore refer as
the "abomination." My friend argued that the existence of of the abomination on Temple
Temple
Mount, our holiest place, was the root cause of of all the spiritual errors of
of our
our generation and
the basis oflshmael's
of Ishmael's (i.e. the Arabs'-E.s.)
Arabs'—E.S.) hold in Eretz Yisrael. In this first
first meeting I did
not clearly understand my friend and more meetings were held to which an additional additional friend
joined. 42
What apparently happened after the crisis of of Camp David is that most
most of the members
members of Gush
Gush Emunim.
Emunim,
who were also shocked by the postponement of of redemption, were able to follow
follow old Rabbi
Rabbi Kook's
instruction to maintain their allegiance to the Israeli govenunent
government and to its legal system,
system, but
but aa few
few were
not. They gathered around Yehuda Etzion, Yeshua Ben Shoshan and Menachem Livni, who all
Livni, who all believed
believed
they had a better response to the disaster, an act that would alleviate the misery in a
a single strike.
strike.
of the project was described in great detail

The spiritual and mysterious nature of detail by many
many members
members of the
operational matters,
underground. Long before they started to discuss operatiOnal matters, such as explosives and guns,
explosives and guns, they
immersed themselves in halakhic issues and kabbalistic spiritual deliberations.
deliberations. Chaim
Chaim Ben David,
David, who
who
attended the meetings since 1978, described how he was recruited and how it all took place.
place.
In about 1977 or 1978, I was approached by Gilaad Peli from Moshav Keshet in the Golan
Heights, a man I have known since 1975 and his activity within Gush Emunim.
Emunim. He told me
to come to Yeshua Ben Shoshan with whom I had a previous learning experience io in Torah
subjects. Following the learning part, Yeshua and Gilaad discussed with me aa plan
plan to
to remove
remove
the Dome ofof the Rock on Temple Mount-a
Mount—a plan meant to be part of a spiritual redemption
of of Israel. The great innovation for me was that this was a "physical
of the people of "physical operation"
operation"
capable of
of generating a spiritual operation.
I agreed to join
join the group and participate in its project Then came the stages of the the meetings
meetings
and conferences in Yeshua's house as well as in an isolated house .... . . . . owned by Ben
Shoshan's relatives. There were many sessions and I am sure I did not attend them all
because of
of my physical distance. The meetings were attended by Menachem Livni, Livni, Yehuda
Yehuda
Etzion, Yeshua Ben Shoshan, Gilaad Peli and myself. There were several sessions io in
Yeshua's house without his personal
personal presence .....
. . . In the sessions the spiritual
spiritual side of the
idea was discussed as well as questions relating to the possible acceptance of, of, and
and response
response
of Israel. Then they started to discuss operational matters.
to, the act by the people of matters. The first
air—we had a pilot in our group but it is
idea was to bomb (the place) from the air-we not clear
is not
joke. Finally, it was decided to blow up the Mosque by
whether it was serious or just aajoke.
exp)osives. fi
explosives.42
As we have already seen, Operation Temple Mount never took place.

place. Despite three
three years
years of
of intense
preparations and that far
and planning that farexceeded
exceeded anything
anything else
else done
done by the group,
group, the
the project
projectwas
was finally
finally
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abandoned by Menachem Livni, the "commander." Onlytwo

"commander." Only two men,
men, Etzion
Etzion and
and BenShoshan,
Ben Shoshan, wanted
wanted to
to go
go
ah~ when
aheadLt when none
none of
of Gush Emunim's main rabbi~
Emunim's main rabbiswas
was willing
willing to
to cooperate.
cooperate. But in
in his
his final word on the
issue, Livni
Livni did
did not
not appear
appear disappointed or beaten:
. In retrospect
retrospect itit appears
appearsto tomeme that
thatthe
thehonor
honorof ofTemple
TempleMountMountand
andthe
theTemple
Templeitself,
itself, as
as well
well
as the dignity of ofthe
the people
peopleof ofIsrael,
Israel, instructs
instructs us
us that
that this operation should be carried
carried out by
a united nation and and its
its government.
government. We, on our behalf, did our best best in front
front of
of heaven and
earth, as ifit
earth, as if it was like "open
"open for me a niche needle wide," and I pray pray that
thatwe
we shall
shall be
be blessed
blessed
to see
see the
the building
building of ofthe
the Temple
Temple in in our
our time. And comments that were made on Rabbi Rabbi Akiva
are true
true and
and relevant
relevanttoto all
allthe
the events
events and
andall
all members
membersinvolved,
involved, "Bless
"Bless thee Rabbi
Rabbi Akiva
Akiva for
being
being caught following the Torah."
following the Torah." 4-1 ~.
A close
closereading
reading ofofLivni's
Livni's statement
statement suggests
suggestsaa mystical
mystical approach.
approach. Paradoxically,
Paradoxically, the statement
epitomizes
epitomizes the
the entire
entire millenarian nature
nature ofof the underground.
underground.LivniLivni does
does not
not only
only speak
speak to to his
his
interrogators,
interrogators, hehe also
also appeals
appeals toto God.
God. While
While somewhat apologetic, he is nevertheless
nevertheless proud and and hopeful.
hopeful.
He seems
seems toto believe
believethat
that although
although he and his colleagues did not remove the Dome of of the Rock, nor did
they shun their apocalyptic
apocalyptic mission. In fact,
fact, he argues,
argues, they
they did
did all
all they
they could.
could. They
They identified the
national spiritual
spiritual malaise,
malaise, they singled out the "abomination"
"abomination" as asthe
theroot
rootcause
causeofof it,
it, they
they delved
delved into the
problem,
problem. studied it, and prayed
prayed about
about it,
it, and
and finally
finally they
they went all
all the way prepared
prepared to to act.
act. Only
Only inches
away from the operation,
operation, they did
did not
not get God's final
get God's final signal,
signal, his
his ultimate
ultimate O.K.
O.K. God,
God, he he felt,
felt, should know
how devoted theythey were
were and
and how serious
serious their
their mission was. He should
should be aware of of the "needle wide"wide"
niche they opened. Perhaps
Perhaps he would movemove thethe government
government and and the nation to concrete action.
From Settler ExtraiegaUsm to Vigilante

Eitraleealism to Vigilante Terrorism
Terrorism.
underground of
The underground of Gush Emunim became a terror terror organization
organizationon onJune 1980. It was on that night and
June2,2, 1980;
under the
the command
command of of Menachem Livni and and Yehuda EtZion
Etzion that thethe group
group blew
blew up the cars
up the cars of
of two Arab
west Bank mayors held
West held responsible
responsible for
for anti-Jewish
anti-Jewish terrorism.
terrorism. The act thatthat provoked
provoked the the attack
attack was
was the
brutal murder
brutal murderof six Yeshiva students near Beit Hadassah in Hebron.
of six Hebron. The "mayors
"mayors affair"
affair"was
waswelcomed
welcomed
by the settler community in JudeaJudea and
and Samaria
Samariaas aswell
well as
as by
by many
manysegments
segments of of the
the Israeli society. It
Israeli society.
opened the way to several
several additional
additional terror plans and
terror plans andoperations
operationsthatthattook
tookplace
placebetween
between19821982 and
and 1984.
brutal among
The most brutal among these
these operations
operationswaswas the
theattack
attackon onJuly
July26,26,1983,
1983,on onthe
theIslamic
IslamicCollege
College ofof
Hebron. The attackers, who responded to another murder murderof of aa Yeshiva
Yeshiva student in in Hebron,
Hebron, killed
killed three
Muslim students and wounded. thirty-three. In 1984 the group drew up a
thirty-three. In a plan to bomb the men's
dormitory of Bir Zeit University in Ramala. When the operation
dormitory ofBir operation waswas postponed,
postponed, because
because of of a
governmental shutdown of of the university, it was replaced by a more comprehensive one.:--an one—an attempt to
blow up five
blow Arab buses full of
five Arab ofpassengers.
passengers. Every
Every detail of of this plan was perfectly worked out, including
the final
final wiring ofof the buses on April
April 27, 1984. But at the last moment
moment thethe whole
whole conspiracy
conspiracy waswas exposed
exposed
and the bombs were defused in time. The The arrest
arrest that followed ended up the career of
that followed of the most daring
Jewish terror underground
underground in in nearly forty
forty years.
A review ofofthe
the confessions
confessionsand
and testimonies
testimonies of
ofall
all the
the members
members of ofthe underground,
underground, and
andespecially
especially of
of
Livni's and
and Etzion's,
Etzion's, the leaders,
leaders, suggests that the
the issue at stake was not religious and that it hadhad only
only
slight relation to
to redemption
redemption orormessianism.
messianism. The
Thename
nameof ofthe
thegame
gamewaswasrevenge.
revenge. The
Theonly
only association
association 00
Dome of
between the Dome ofthe
theRock
Rockplan
plan and
and the
the acts
acts of
ofterror
terror that
that actually
actually took
took place
place was
was the
the identity
identity of
of the
perpetrators. The
perpetrators. The group
group that
thatblew
blewupupthe
themayors' cars,and
mayors'cars, andsome
someofofthose
those who
who continued to operate until
1984, were
1984, were the
the same
same people
peoplewho
whostarted
started to prepare themselves.
to prepare themselves, morally and spiritually, to expurgate
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Mo~t. But the motivations and the thinking were totally different.
Temple Mount. different. Discussing
Discussing his participation
in the "mayors affair"
affair" in
in relation
relationto
tohis
his main
main concern,
concern, Temple
Temple Mount,
Mount, YehuM
Yehuda Etzion told the court:
Planning and executing the attack attack on on the

the murder
murderchieftains
chieftainstook
tookonlyonlyone onemonth
monthof of my
my life,
life,
one month that started
started with
with the
the assassination
assassination night
night of of six boys in Hebron, and ended up in
conducting this operation.
operation. I insist
insist that
that this operation was right. right. So right, in fact, that to the
best of
of my
my understanding
understanding ... . . . even
even the law that that prevails in the the state
state of of Israel
Israel could
could recognize
recognize
its justice or ought to have recognized it as a pure pure actact of
of self
self defense .... . . . . It is unquestionable
that in our
that in our present
presentreality
reality...
. . . the
thereality
realityof ofthe
thesovereign
sovereign state
stateofIsrael
of Israel... . . .the
thedefense
defense forces
forces
of
of the state had to take carecare ofof this matter,
matter, quickly,
quickly, neatly
neatly and
andeffectively,
effectively, so that nobody
that nobody
could have,
have, in
in his
hisright
right mind,
mind, thought
thought about
about such
such operation,
operation, I,I, furthermore,
furthennore, do not deny that
it was a clear case of of undue
undue excess.
excess. But But the
the situation stake was aa case in which the
situation at stake.was
"policeman" responsible for the
"policeman" responsible the matter
matternotnotonly
only stepped
steppedaside
aside ...
. . . ,, not
not only
only ignored the
gravity ofof the case,
case, and
and the
the fact
fact that
that the murderers
murdererswere were allowed
allowed to to act
act freely
freely .... . . , but
developed
developed withwith them
them a friendly relationship
relationship ..... . . . This
This situation,
situation, Sirs,
Sirs,was wasaacase case of of no
no choice,
choice,
. a condition that created aa need
that created need to to act
act in
in the
the full
full sense
sense ofof the word,
word, for for the
the very
very sake
sake ofof the
preservation oflife. 46
preservation of life.k ..
No reader familiar
familiar with the literature
literatureononvigilante
vigilantemovements
movements could
could fail
fail to
to detect
detect in
in Etzion's
Etzion's speech
speech the
classical logic of of the vigilante mind. WhatWhat Etzion so eloquently told the court court was
was that
that he
he took
took one month
of
of his life,
life, aa life
lifeotherwise
otherwisedevoted
devotedtotothetheapproximation
approximation of ofredemption,
redemption, to become a vigilante
vigilante terrorist.
terrorist. A
vigilante movement, we we should
should recall,
recall, never
never sees
sees itself inaa state
itselfin state of
ofprincipled conflict, either with the
government or with the prevailing concept of law. It
oflaw. It is
is not
not revolutionary
revolutionary and does not try try to bring down
authority. Rather,.what
authority. Rather, what characterizes
characterizesthe thevigilante
vigilante state
state of mind is
of mind is the profound
profound conviction
conviction that the
government, or some of ofits
its agencies,
agencies, have
have failed
failed to
to enforce
enforce their
their own laws
laws or
or to establish their own order
oIder
in an area
area under
under their
theirjurisdiction. ll
jurisdiction.il Backed by the fundamental
fundamental norm normof ofself-defense
self-defense and
and speaking in the
name ofof what they believe
believe to bebe the
the valid law of ofthe land, vigilantes, in effect, enforce the law and
execute justice. "Due"Due process
process of oflaw"
law" is
is the
the least of
oftheir concems.48 When Yehuda Etzion responded in
their concerns
May 1980
1980 to to Menachem
Menachem Livni's
Livni's request
request for help in avenging the blood of of six Yeshiva
Yeshiva students
students murdered
murdered
in Hebron,
Hebron, he was not thinking
thinking of of messianism but but of
of vigilantism.
vigilantism. He took aa short
short leave
leave of
of absence from
his main concern to take care of ofan altogether different business.
the messianic
But how did Etzion, the messianic dreamer,
dreamer, suddenly become
become a rough vigilante? What was the
psychosocial mechanism
psychosocial mechanism that
that made it possible
possible for
for him—and
him-and also for his millenarian
millenarian followers
followers in the
underground-to switch from their other-worldly lofty concern
underground—to about redemption to the this-worldly
concern about
mundane concern about revenge and law and order?
order? And
And why
why was
was the vigilante terrorism
terrorism of
of the
the members
ofthe underground
of underground legitimized by the
legitimized by the rabbis
rabbis of
ofGush Emunim who refused to support the millenarian
terrorism on Temple
terrorism on Temple Mount?
The answer to these questions,

questions, without
without which
whichaa full
full understanding
understanding of
ofthe underground
underground is is bound
bound to be
little to
incomplete, has very little to do with
with either
either the teaching ofRav
of Rav Kook or the
the intellectual
intellectual climate
climate of
of Gush
Emunim. Itconcems,
It concerns, instead, another facet
facet of
of Gush Emunim,
Emunim, which until
until now
now was not elaborated upon, .
the existential extralegalism
extralegatism of ofthe
the movement as a "frontier"
"frontier" operation
operationin
in the
the West
West Bank. Gush Emunim,
as Goldberg and Ben Zadok so well well remind
remind us, did
did not produce only strange
strange messianic
messianic types, true
believers that
believers that would
would walk
walk the
the hills ofJudea
hills of Judea and
and Samaria expecting redemption
redemption to be delivered.
to be It equally
delivered. It
created a breed
breed of
of doers, rugged frontier men who started their their career
careeras
asillicit
illicit political
political settlers and
Arabs.49
sUstained it through a growing friction with their neighboring Arabs:42
sustained
While the extralegal nature of Gush

nature of Gush Emunim
Emunim waswas aa typical
typical feature
featureof
ofthe
themovement
movement since
since its inception,
its vigilante side
side was
was not
not recognized
recognized until
until the
the early 1980s.
1980s. Rumors
Rumors about settler
settler violence
violence against Arabs
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prevailed, but with no proof. However, in 19821982 aa committee

committee headed
headed byby Yehudit
Yehudit Carp, the state
Carp, the state Deputy
Deputy
Attorney General,
General, studied
studied 70
70 cases of
of Jewish anti-Arab
anti-Arab violent
violent acts
acts involving
involving killings,
killings, woundings,
physical
physical assaults,
assaults, property
property damage
damage and
and the
the application
application of
ofarmed
anned and
and unarmed threats. It
unanned threats. It found
found that
that 53
53 out
of
ofthe 70 cases
cases ended
ended in no action. 43 ofofthe files were
were closed
closed because
because aa suspect could not be found,
found, 7
because of
of the nonexistence
nonexistence of
ofofficial
officialcomplaints,
complaints, and
and 33 because
because of
ofaa lack
lack of
ofpublic
public interest
interest to justify
justify
prosecution. 50
prosecution.51)
The vigilante nature of of the settler community was examined in a comprehensive pioneering study
conducted by David Weisburd, a young American Ph.D. candidate in in 1983.2.1 Weisburd found
1983.51 Weisburd that 28
found that 28
percent of
of the male settlers and and 5 percent
percent ofof the
the female
female settlers,
settlers, out
out of
of aa sample of
of 500, admitted to
having participated inin some
some type of of vigilante
vigilante activity.
activity. 68
68 percent
percent of Weisburd's respondents
ofWeisburd's agreed with
respondents agreed
the statement that
that "it
"it isis necessary
necessary for the settlers to respond quickly and independently to Arab
harassments of settlers and
harassments and settlements."
settlements." Following
Following another
another finding,
finding, that only 13
thatonly 13 percent
percent of
of those
those
questioned disapproved of of vigilantism, Weisburd concluded: .
The vigilantism ofofGush

Gush Emunim
Emunim settlers is part of an organized strategy
part of strategy ofof social control
calculated to maintain order in thethe West
West Bank.
Bank. Though aa minority
minority ofof settlers actually
participate in
participate in vigilante
vigilante acts, they are not
not isolated deviant
deviant figures
figures in
in this
this settlement
settlement movement
movement.
Rather,
Rather, those vigilantes are agents of ofthe
the Gush Emunirn community as
Emunim community as aa whole.
whole. They carry
out a strategy
strategy of
of control
control that
thatisisbroadly
broadlydiscussed
discussedandandsupported. 52
ll
supported.-
Weisburd's study
study of the vigilantism of ofthe
the settler
settler community,
community, as as well asthe
wellas theCarp
Carp report
report and other
doculnented studies,53
documented studies,2 was written and published before the exposure of of the
the Gush Emunim
Emunim underground.
They nevertheless provide
provide usus with
with useful
useful factual
factual and
and analytical perspectives to to comprehend the actual
terrorism of the group.
terrorism of group. They tell us that the Communal
communal leaders ofKiryat
of Kiryat Alba---the
Arba—the Jewish
Jewish city adjacent
Hebron-who convened
to Hebron—who convenedafter
after the
the Beit
BeitHadassah
Hadassah murder
murder of students were not strangers to
six students
of six
communal conflict, anti-Arab
anti-Arab violence
violence oror vigilante
vigilante justice.
justice. Extremist
Extremist rabbis, soldiers and military reserve
reserve
officers, and settlers—all were used to the idea of
and rugged settlers-all of communal reprisal.
reprisal.They
Theyalso
also knew,
knew, as
as we are
told by Weisburd, that the price
that the price for
for previous
previous vigilante
vigilante acts
acts was very low.~
was very low.
convergence point
The convergence point between
betweenthe
themillenarian
millenarian orientation
orientation of underground and
of the underground andthe
thevigilante
vigilante spirit
spirit of
of
the settlers that
that actually
actually produced
produced terrorism
terrorismwas describedininsome
wasdescribed somedetail
detailby
byMenachenLivni.
Menachen Livni. Livni Livni told
interrogators that,
his interrogators that, immediately
immediately following the the Belt
Beit Hadassah
Hadassah. murder,
murder, it was decided in Kiryat Alba Arba to
respond. A special action committee
respond. committee was was assigned
assigned the
the job,
job, but
but its members did not have the "adhesive
spirit necessary to act."
act." Livni then approached
approached Rabbi
Rabbi Levinger,
Levinger, the
the leading
leading authority
authority in
in the
the city,
city, and
and told
him that "for
"forthese
these purposes
purposeswe we have
have toto chose
chose pure
purepeople,
people, highly observan, and
highly observan, andsinless,
sinless, people
people with no
shred of
of violence in them
violence in them and
and who are disinclined to reckless action."
action." 55
55 Levinger apparently
apparently approved
and it was at that point that
'and that Livni
Livni asked Yehuda Etzion, not a resident
resident ofK.iryat
of Kiryat Albat
Arbattoto help
help him.
him. Only
Only
then did the two decide to mobilize
mobilize thethe entire
entire group, which until that
that time was preoccupied with
preliminary deliberations about Temple Mount. Mount. The group members
members were
were perceived by their leaders to be
pure and devoted. They
They were
were not
not terrorists
terrorists but rather
ratherGod's
God'semissaries.
emissaries. Their
Theirimmense
immense commitment
commitment and
dedication to God and nation qualified them for the merciless task.
key to
A key to the
the understanding
understanding of ofthe operations that
that did
did and
and did
did not
nottake
takeplace
placeisis the
the issue
issue of
of the rabbinaJ
rabbinal
authority. A careful reading of
authority. of the confessions and testimonies of
confessions and ofthe
the members
members of ofthe
the underground
underground does
does
not clarify how much of of the operational part
part of
of the conspiracy was shared by the leading rabbis rabbis ofKiryat
of Kiryat
Arba. But it makes clear that none of
Arba. of the operations that took place was opposed
opPosed by the the rabbis
rabbis and that all
ofthe
of the acts were,
were, in fact, blessed
in fact, blessedbybythese
theseauthorities.
authorities.The
Thefirst
first operation,
operation, the
the "mayors
"mayors affair,"
affair," was
was
opposed byby Rabbi
Rabbi Levinger,
Levinger, butbut the
the reason
reason for the objection was
was that
that Levinger preferred
preferred extreme
extreme action
and recommended an indiscriminate act of
of mass violence. Rabbi Eliezer WaIdman,
Waldman, a prominent Gush
file://DATextbook CD\10-Cases\Fundamentalism,Terrorism,
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Emunim rabbi and since ·1981

1981 a Knesset member, even volunteered, acCording
according to Livni, to participate in
the first operation. Two other Hebron and Kiryat Arba rabbis were
were, instrumental in inducing Livni to
commit the last two operations that involved
lasttwo involved indiscriminate
indiscriminateterrorism ..22 Shaul Nir, the man who
terrorism.i6
conducted the murderous attack on the Islamic College in Hebron, told his interrogators:
I would like to add that in the time span of

of 3 years, I discussed the issue with 44 rabbis,
rabbis, all
all of
whom expressed their support for warning operations within the Arab public .... . . . . I also
heard the names ofof an additonal three rabbis who stated their support in different Stages
stages of
the operation.
operation.221
Rabbinical refusal to support Operation Temple Mount is of of crucial importance. It tells us that the
radicalization process that finally
finally produced
produced terrorism within Gush Emunim was not marginal but central.
It was a by-product of
of the movement's belief
belief in its own redemptive role and in the necessity of of settling
Judea and Samaria at all costs. The idealistic and excited people who started in 1968 to settle Judea and
Samaria did not go there with violent intentions. None of of them expected to become a vigilante, a terrorist,
or a terror supporter within just twelve years. But the combination of of messianic belief
belief and
and aa situation
situation of
of
endemic national conflict
conflict had
had within it
it a built-in propensity for violence extralegalism,
for incremental violence-extralegalism
vigilantism, selective terrorism, and, finally,
Vigilantism, terrorism. Had the undergroWld
finally, indiscriminate mass terrorism. underground not
been stopped in ·1984,
1984, it would have likely become a Jewish IRA.
Extremism.
EItremisni. Terrorism. and Democracy:
Demoeraey: Some General Conclusions
What do we learn from the story of of the Jewish underground? What lesson is to be drawn from the
Jewishtinderground?
reintroduction ofof Jewish terrorism into Israeli political life nearly forty
forty years after its official demise? Is it
possible to draw some general conclusions from the process of of radicalization that finally led these
idealistic young men to engage in terrorism, an extreme anti-democratic activity they could not have
dreamed about before embarking on that course? Does the evolution of of Gush Emunim, and its related
underground, help us better understand
Wlderstand and theorize about the complex relationship between extremist·
extremist
beliefs, terrorism, and political democracy?
It appears that there are two ways of of approaching these questions and coming to to grips with their answers.
The first is to read the story
story of
ofthe underground within the narrow boundaries of of its special
~rcumstances: the Israeli
circumstances: of the West Bank in 1967, the emergence of the theology ofYeshivat
ISraeli conquest of of Yeshivat
Mercaz ha-Rav,
ha-Ray, the unexpected
Wlexpected peace with Egypt, and the growth of of Arab resistance in Judea and
Samaria. This perspective stresses the unique and the unprecedented. It leads to the conclusion that under
a different set of
of conditions the whole affair would be most improbable. It tells .us,
us, in fact,
fact, that no general
lesson can be learned from the case of of the Jewish underground because it was special and unrepeatable.
The writing ofof the entire
entire paper, up to this point, was guided by this approach.
An altogether different avenue is the attempt to comprehend the evolution and radicalization of of Gush
Emunim within a broader perspective, one that avoids the sui generis explanatory strategy. According to
this approach, Gush Emunim should be be· recognized as one of many movements of idealistic true believers
that have developed in the last twenty-five years within
witilln Western democracy and radicalized to the point
of
of producing anti-democratic organizations of of terrorists. Seen in this perspective; the Jewish underground
is not unique or unprecedented. Rather, itit fits the larger category of movements thatthat challenge
challenge the rules of
the democratic game. Each ofof these movements arises out of of specific circumstances; yet each is
transfonned from aa non-terroristic entity into aa terroristic one. No one who watched the young
transformed
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enthusiastic members of of the American, German,

German, andandFrench
FrenchNew-Left
New-Left inin the
theearly
early1960s
1960s expected them
to produce, by the end of of the decade, such organizations
organizations as Weatherman,
Weatherman, the the RAF
RAF (Baader-Meinehoff
(Baader-Meinehoff
Peuple. No
Gang) or La Cause du Peup/e. No student
student of
ofmodern
modern nationalism could predict in the 1950s that by the
end of
of the following
followingdecade
decadeIrish nationalists~ Basque extremists, and Annenianzealots
Irish nationalists; Armenian zealots would establish
or revive the IRA, .ETA,
ETA, ASALA,
ASALA,and andreintroduce
reintroduce intense
intense terrorism
terrorism into the Western
Western Hemisphere.
Hemisphere. The
Jewish underground
underground of undoubtedly had
of Gush Emunim has undoubtedly had its
its special circumstances. It was Jewish,
special circumstances.
fundamentalist, and
and messianic. It acted not against Jews but against Palestinian Arabs, Arabs, whom
whom it
considered external terrorists. But legally
terrorists. But legally and
and politically
politically it acted
actedwithin
within the
the context
context of
of political
democracy. Just like other intrademocratic terror organizations, it introduced terrorism
terror organizations, terrorism into
into aa non-
terroristic political culture, one that was not prepared
prePared for
for Jewish
Jewish atrocities
atrocities and
and was
was very
very surprised
surprised when
when
they took place.
A careful comparative
comparative examination
examination ofofmany
many terror-producing radicalization processes
terror-producing radicalization processes that
that took
took place in
the last three decades suggests
suggeststhat our previous
that our previous understanding
understanding of between terrorism
of the relationship between terrorism and
democracy should be be revised. The
The traditional belief that historical
traditional naive belief historical democracy
democracy is totally
incompatible with violence
violence and
and terrorism
terrorism should give way to a more sophisticated explanatory model,
one that recognizes that under
under specific,
specific, but not uncommon, conditions even the most accomplished
intrasyslemic terrorism,a
democracy could generate an intrasystemic terrorism. i.e., a
i.e.,terrorism
terrorism that
that is not imported from an
external system
system but
but is generated
genemted by former
former democrats from
from within.
within. This new understanding should, in my
understanding should,
opinion, be governed by the following
following two
two general
general observations:
observations:
<a) Democracy,
(a) Democracy, because
becauseof its inherently
ofits inherentlyimperfect
imperfectnature
nature isis constantly
constantly open
opento
to recurring appearanCes ot
recurring appearances of
extremism and
and violence.
violence.
(b) Political extremism inin a democracy, just as in non-democratic systems, has a built-in
built-in. potential for
unrestrained violence
violence and
and terrorism.
terrorism.
While these
these propositions
propositions could
could be
beexpanded
expanded aa great
great deal, a short elabomtion
elaboration on
on each
each of
of them may
sufficiently clarify each.
Vlolentizatlon of Democracy
The Violentizatfon
Today, it isis undeniable

undeniable that the emergence of of secular and religious extremism in the West, West, over the last
three decades, has dealt deatt a mortal
mortal blow to two of ofthe
the most
most cherished
cherished notions of ofthe
the post-World
post-World WarWar II
social
social science:
science: "the"the end
end ofofideology"
ideology" and "secularizaion." In
and "secularizaion." In the
the 19508
1950s and
and the
the first
firsthalf
halfof
of the
the 1960s
1960s it
was generally
generally believed
believedthatthat the
the world
world was
was progressing
progressing and improving significantly. Post-industrial
Post-indllStrial
societies (i.e.,
societies (i.e., democracies)
democmcies) .were were seen
seen asas capable
capable of
of containing ideology
ideology 52 partial knowledge,
59 (i.e., partial knowledge,
extremism, and political violence),
violence).andand humanity
humanity was expected
expected to pass
pass from
from "ideology" to
(i.e., objective
"sociology" (i.e., objectiveand and scientific
scientificknowledge,
knOWledge.capable
capableof ofproducing
producing pragmatic
pragmatic and peaceful
politics) .22 This general theory, that
politics).2!l that for
for all
all pmctical
practicalpurposes
purposespredicted
predictedthe
thedecline
declineof violence in
ofviolence in politics;
politics;
was not restricted to the post-industrial
post-industrial world.
world. The
The Third
ThirdW orId was
World was also
also included in this grand
grand vision.
vision.
Developing countries
Developing countries werewere notnot expected
expected to to become
becomedemocratic
democratic in oneone stroke
stroke but it was believed that they
were heading
too were heading in in the
the right
right direction, the "Westminster style of
"Westminster style democracy." In
of democracy." In the long run,
the long run, even
even in .
this area,
area, violence
violence was expected to subside. Observers Observers ofIsmeli
of Israelipolitics
politics who
who witnessed
witnessed the
the decline
decline of
of
Zionism in in the 1950s
I 950salso
alsothought
thought inin the
the grand
grand terms of the "decline
"decline ofideology"
of ideology" andthe
and the rise
rise of
of
"pragmatic" politics.
"pragmatic" politics. NoNo new extremism was expected expected in
in Israel.
Ismel.
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This optimistic philosophy

philosophy ofofprogress,
progress, formulated language of
fonnulated in the language of empirical
empirical social
social theory,
theory, was
equally emphatic about religion. Religion
Religion and
and religious
reJigiou.<;zealotry,
zealotry,considered
consideredby bydefinition
definition"irrational" and
"irrational" and
"obsolete,"
"obsolete," were expected to decline too. Like secular ideology
ideology and
and extremism, these phenomena had had no
no
room in a world dominated by the economic
economic prosperity
prosperity of of the post-industrial
post-industrial society
society and
and by
by the reasoning
reasoning
of sociology.
of sociology.Jewish
Jewishreligiosity,
religiosity,Christian
Christiancommitment,
commibnent, and and Islamic
Islamic zealotry had to go and, according to
the new theory, were
were bound to do so through an all-embracing process of
so through of secularization.
secularization:0-
61
In the grand perspective ofofthethe "end

"end of
ofideology"
ideology" and
and "secularization," not only terrorism,
"secularization," riot terrorism, but
but even
even
political violence
violence was
wasan
an irrelevant
irrelevant concept. No one
one was
was expected
expected toto study
study itit or pay any attention to its
attention to its
evolution. The 1968 edition of of the International Encyclopedia Ojthe
of the Social
Social Sciences,
Sciences, which reflected thethe
knowledge of
cumulative knowledge ofthe
the postwar
postwar generation ofof social scientists, did not include entries on either
violence or
violence or terrorism.
terrorism.
The emergence
emergence ofofthe
the anti-war
anti-war student movement and and the
the introduction
introductionofofthe
theprotest
protestideology
ideologyof of the
the New
New
Left in the United States imdand Europe,
Europe, thethe growth
growthof of etluiic
ethnic extremism
extremismallover
all overthe theglobe,
globe, the
therevival
revival of
of
nationalist separatism,
separatism, andand the
the rediscovery
rediscovery of of aggressive religious fundamentalism—all
fundamentalism-all shattered the
progressivist theory. The theory was proven wrong not only by the events of of the past three decades but
also because ofof its flawed logic.
logic. Today
Today we we recognize
recognize that
that economic
economic welfare does not automatically
resolve emotional
emotional conflicts
conflictsand
and that
that religious
religious extremism
extremism andand modernity areare not
not necessarily
necessarily incompatible.
incompatible.
We also know, perhaps
perhaps too well, that the complex relationship
wen, that relationship between democracy and extremism cannot
be reduced to the simple equation that historical
historical progress
progress warrants
warrantsdecline
declineininemotions
emotions andandviolence.
violence. Ours
Ours
is a time for the recognition
recognition that
that valid theories about the "stabilization
"stabilizationof
of democracy
democracy and and consensus"
consensus"
cannot exclude the equally validvalid theories regarding the "destabilization
"destabilizationofof democracy
democracy and andsocial
social conflict"
conflict "
for history is never guaranteed to to move in oneone linear direction.~ The
linear direction.-U The experience
experience of of the postwar era
suggests that while several segments
segnients of of the post-industrial democracy(like
post-industrial democracy (likethe
theeconomy
economy and and technology)
technology)
may progress a great deal, otherother segments
segments can decline or deteriorate
deteriorate contemporaneously.
contemporaneously. What What isis called
called
for, insofar as the relationship
for, relationship between
between democracy
democracy andand violence
violence is concerned,
concerned, is a new understanding
understanding of of aa
of principles that govern the
set of the logic of
of the phenomenon I suggest naming the violentization.
violentization of of
democracy, which is the emergence of ofprocesses
processes ofofradicalization
radicalization that in time introduce
introduce violence
violence and
terrorism into
terrorism into this
this political
political system. The four most significant maxims tell us that: that:
(a) No living
living democracy
democracy isis perfect.
perfect. Democracy,
Democracy, in in the
the final
final analysis,
analysis, is
is aa limited
limited political
political arrangement,
arrangement,
which, animated by a constitutional
constitutional ideology of ofequality
equality and liberty,
liberty, produces
produces orderly
orderlylife
life for
for aa wide
wide
variety of
of individuals and groups
groups differing
differing aa great
greatdeal
deal inin their
theirepistemological
epistemological and andideological
ideological
perspectives. As
As long
longas
asthe
thepartners
partners to this arrangement
arrangement are aresatisfied,
satisfied,they
theywill
will play
play according
according to the
rules of and be content. But once
of the game and once all,
all, or
or part ofof them, areare no
no longer
longer convinced that it
convinced that it works to.
to
advantage, they are
their advantage, are likely to change dramatically. Their predemocratic primordial primordial convictions and and
conflictual instincts are
are likely to surface, and they
surface, and they will
will not hesitate
hesitate to
to radicalize,
radicalize, challenge
challenge thethe system
system or
or
rival groups, and apply violent means in order to to achieve
achieve their
their goals.
goals.
(b) No democratic
democratic government
govenunent can either always live live up
up to
to the
the principles of
offreedom and equality that are
freedom and
satisfy all
inscribed in its creed or satisfy all its
its citizens all the time.
time. This is especially true in aa democratic
democratic system system
that is socially or culturally heterogenous.
that heterogenous. Almost no democracy involved in a serious national or
international
international conflict
conflict is capable of applying the same criteria of
of applying civilized behavior at home and
of civilized and abroad.
abroad.
The use ofofaa double
double standard
standard of of govenunent,
government, which
which is quite
quite common,
common, is likely to lead to dissent and harsh harsh .
criticism on behalf
behalf of
ofthe
the aggravated
aggravated and the hurt.hurt. In
Intime,
time,and
andunder
underspecific
specificconditions, likely to
conditions,ititisis likely to
lead to extremist opposition and and violence.
violence. .
.
(c)
(c) No democratic polity lives in
in isolation.
isolation. All
All the
the existing
existing democracies
democracies are either
either involved
involved directly in
conflicts with
confliCts with non-democratic and political turmoils that
non-democratic states or are influenced indirectly by ideological and
take place in these systems. The contacts and involvements of democratic
democratic states with
with nondemocratic
nondemocratic ones
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are often likely to provide attractive non-democratic

are"often non-democratic models
models of
of behavior
behavior forfor aa wide
wide variety
varietyofof dissatisfied
dissatisfied
people. External
External forms of
ofextremism,
extremism, violence,
violence,and
and terrorism
terrorism may in this wayway be imported into the
democratic world in in many shapes
shapes and
and structures.
structures. All too often
often these
these behavioral
behavioral patterns
patterns take root in a "
democracy, not as a result of
of external conspiracy, but
but because
because they
they fit
fit the
the mental
mental and
andpolitical
political needs
needs of
of
bitter and unhappy former democrats.
(d) Terrorism is usually not not introduced

introduced into democracy through an
democracytbrough an external conspiracy. It
external conspiracy. It is
is equally
equally not a
product ofof psychopaths, sociopaths or crazy people. people." Rather,
Rather, it it is in most cases the imperfect nature nature ofof
democracy-the seamy
democracy—the seamy side
sideofofthe
theregime
regimeand andits
itssurrounding
surrounding environment—that
environment-that produces produces intense
extremism and
conflict, extremism and violence.
violence. II suggest
suggestnaming
naming this
this form
fonn of terrorism intrademocratic te"orism.1t
ofterrorism terrorism. It is
basically the extension of opPosition politics, one special case of
of opposition of a conflict oflegitimacy.
of legitimacy. It is,
furthermore, the behavioral
furtherniore, the behavioralproduct
productof ofaaprolonged
prolongedprocess
processof ofradicalization
radicalizationwhosewhosebeginning
beginning is,is, ahnost
almost
always, non-violent
non-violentand and non-terroristic.
non-terroristic. The carrier
carrier ofof the
the procesS
process ofof radicalization,
radicalization, usually
usually anan idealistic
idealistic
and radical movement, starts its career with positive intentions.intentions. But as aa result
result of
of its confrontation with
the hard
hard facts
facts of
of life-including irresponsive governments,
life—including irresponsive governments, hostile
hostile rivals,
rivals, an
anunfriendly
unfriendly media, and a
disinterested public-it
public—it may give give birth
birth to a violent group. Certain
Certain elements
elements within
within the
the movement,
movement, usually
the most idealistic
idealistic and
and action-oriented,
action-oriented, become
becomeimpatient
impatient withwith the
the ordinary
ordinary procedures and the boring
of the game. Facing
rules of Facing hostility,
hostility, and
and perhaps
perhaps agression, they start start to
to drift
driftinto
intoillicit
illicit action,
action, which
which
ultimately leads to intentional violence. In In the later stages of of these processes, theirtheir violent
violent acts
acts far
far exceed
exceed
those acts ofofoccasional
occasional violence
violencethat
that were
wereapplied
applied against
against them. Young, capable, and highly motivated. motivated,
engage in
they engage in terrorism rivals. In time they become a great danger to
terrorism and outdo their rivals. to the democratic
society
society in
in which
whichtheytheylive and,quite
liveand, quitefrequently,
frequently, aa risk
risk to
to their
their own parent movement
movement.
The "violentization of
ofdemocracy," Stressed, is neither necessary nor
democracy;" it must be stressed, nor inevitable. It mayor
may or may
not take place. However, its repeated occurrence
occurrence in
in the
the form
formof
of violence-producing
violence-producingprocesses
processes ofof
radicalization requires
requires that
that this phenomenon be
this phenomenon be recognized today as a potential part
partof
of the
the political
political reality
of every democracy.
VJolendzadon of Israeli
The Violentization IsraeU Democraq
Democracy
The study
study of
of Gush Emunim, its radicalization, and the emergence of of the Temple Mount underground,
illustrates the violentization of ofdemocracy. Like Like so
so many
many other
other cases,
cases, Jewish terrorism did not have to
Jewish terrorism
take place but it did.
did. And it occurred despite the predictions
predictions itit would
would not.
not. Almost
Almost no-one
no-one thought
thought before
or even after the Six-Day
Six-DayWar War that
that Israel could produce an internal
internal Jewish
Jewish violence
violence or terrorism.
terrorism. The
Israelis were considered reasonable, pragmatic, secular, and
pragmatic, secular, andpolitically
politically non-violent.
non-violent. They
They have
undoubtedly had had their
their share
shareof of troubles--political,
troubles—political, social,
social, economic, and military-but
military—but noile
none of the
students ofIsraeli
students of Israeli society believed
believed that
that these problems
problems had
had aaviolent
violentpotential.
potential.The
Thefew
fewexceptions
exceptions of
of
violencein
religious violence inIsrael
Israel (involving
(involvingthetheultraorthodox
ultraorthodox community) were were not taken seriously. Rather,
seen as
they were seen as the
the last
last gasps
gasps ofofaaloser's
loser's struggle.
struggle. Waged
Waged against
against thethe "heretic"
"heretic" Zionist
Zionist regime,
regime, they
signified an anachronistic
signified an anachronistic attempt
attempt to reverse history and disqualify the state of of Israel.
post-1967 era
The post-1967 era proved
proved the
the old expectations
expectations naive and ill-founded. From the perspective of
naive and of the present
study it uncovered
uncovered two
twofundamental
fundamental truths:
truths: (a) that Israel's democratic system could not be isolated
(a) that
from the very undemocratic reality of
forever from of the Arab-Israeli
Arab-Israeli conflict;
conflict; (b) that
that religion
religion and
and extreme
extreme
w~ not
religious dreams were not dead in the land.
As for the impact of

ofthe
the Arab-Israeli conflict, the new era showed that the belief
that the belief that
that the Israeli society,
the Israeli society,
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or some segments ofof it, could remain uncontaminated by the bloody and torturous Palestinian question
was wishful thinking. Especially naive was the conviction among certain Israeli circles that
that the
the settlement
of
of Judea and Samaria could take place with no extra costs to Israel's democracy, and that violence and
terrorism were unJewish. Everything that we know today about the violentization of democracy supports
the proposition that the appearance of
of Jewish vigilantism was
vigilanti~m and terrorism was highly probable.
probable.
The belief
belief in the decline of
of religion and spirit of unfounded. The story of Gush
of religiosity was also unfounded.
Emunim is not simply the tale of of the messianic response to the miracle of the Six-Day War.War. It is as much
the story of the profound reaction to the Zionist secularization of a dream 2,000 yearsyears old-the
old—the dream
dream of
of
the Israeli public spirit was animated
Jewish redemption in Eretz Yisrael. As long as .theIsraeli animated byby genuine
genuine Zionism,
the role of
of religion was marginal. The return to the land did not take place under the command of the
rabbis,
rabbis. and Zionism, like other modern nationalist ideologies.
ideologies, had a built-in religious
religious tinge
tinge that
that responded·
responded
to deep-seated religious needs. But the decline of of secular Zionism in the 19505
1950s and 1960s created
created a huge
huge
vacuum. It was just of time before the dormant forces ofreJigion-which
just a matter of of religion—which remained alive in
synagogues, Yeshivot, and religious communities—sought surfaced. The
communities-sought expression and surfaced. The 1967 watershed
was a natural opportunity for these forces to erupt. The emergence of Gush Gush Emunim
Emunim responded to many
dormant needs. Many indications suggest that something in this realm could have happened happened even if the
war did not occur.
place. If Gush Emunim had

Jewish terrorism did not have to take place. had not
not pressed
pressed the
the issue
issue of
of settlement
settlement ad
ad
absurdum,
absurdum. if if the government ofof Israel had been sufficiently movement in time.
this movement
sUfficiently determined to restrain this time,
if
if the Palestinians of
of the West Bank had been more docile, and if many other such "ifs" "ifs" had
had not pertained,
pertained,
it is quite possible that this paper would not have been written. .
But given the post-l

post-1967
967 conditions, the erosion ofof Israel's democracy and the emergence of Jewish
violence were highly probable: contrary to many unfounded beliefs and theories, no no one is immune to
violence, not even Israeli Jews. Given the right circumstances.
circumstances, Jews.
Jews, like Christians.
Christians, Muslems.
Muslems, Buddhists
Buddhists
and pacifists of
of all origins, are capable of
of producing violence and of practicing terrorism.
terrorism. If
If the struggle
against terrorism is ever to take a constructive shape, it will have to be founded
founded on the pessimistic
pessimistic
assumption that no one, even the best of of all people, is immune to this terrible human
human deviation.
deviation. For
centuries, that kind of
of violence we have come to call terrorism was considered exceptional.
exceptional, uncommon
uncommon
and unheard ofof in civilized society. Given what we know today, this may no longer be the case.
mu••,
Comments
MyroD J. AroDOff
by Myron Aronoff
Professor of PoUdeal
Political Selenee
Science
Rutgers University
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Sprinzak has
Professor Sprinzak has presented
presentedus uswith
with aafascinating
fascinatinganalysis
analysisofof aacase
case of
of the
the development
developmentof of aa
domestic
domestic terrorist undergroundin
terrorist underground in an
anenvironment
environmentwhich,
which,until
untilvery
veryfewfew years
years ago,
ago, had
had been
been considered
considered
. to be inhospitable to such
such an
an organization. Based on his his own
own original
original research
research onon the
the Jewish
Jewish terrorist
terrorist
underground in
underground in Israel,
Israel, Sprinzak
Sprinzak raises
raises aa number
numberofof interesting
interestingquestions
questions andand propositions
propositions relating
relating to
to what
what
he (unhappily) has chosen
chosen toto call
call the
the "violentization"
"violentization" ofof democracy. In the brief time allotted, I shall
attempt to
attempt to question
question several aspects of Sprinzak's analysis of the process of
ofSprinzak's of radicalization.
Ehud suggests that when an idealistic

Ehud idealistic radical
radical movement
movement confronts
confronts "the hard facts
"the hard facts ofof life,"
life," characterized
by unresponsive governments, hostile
hostile rivals,
rivals, unfriendly media, and and aa disinterested
disinterestedpublic,
public, itit becomes
becomes
radicalized. At best, these might be considered necessary but but not
not sufficient
sufficient causes,
causes, since there are are ample
ample
examples of
ofidealistic
idealisticradical
radical movements
movements which
which confronted
confronted such
such conditions
conditions and failed to resortresort to
violence and terrorism.
violence and terrorism. However, II suggest
suggest that
that the first,
first, and
and likely
likely the most important,
important, of of these
these
conditions was
was not
not present
present in
in Israel
Israel when
when the
the Jewish underground carriCd
Jewish underground carried out
out its
its attacks. According to
attacks. Accordirig
Sprinzak's own
Sprinzak's factor was clearly
own publications, the last factor clearly absent
absent asas well.
well. In fact, the underground
underground associated
associated
with certain Gush Emunim settlers
settlerS engaged
engaged in terrorist acts precisely at a tinle
in terrorist time during which the Israeli
during which
government and large sectors of of the public (the base of of the iceberg, to useuse Sprinzak's metaphor) were
Sprinzak's metaphor) were
most responsive to Gush Emunim.
Emunim. The The movement
movement had hadgained
gainedaccess
access to
to the
thehighest
highestlevels
levels of
of the
government which was actively implementing
implementing its settlement policy. The government had had all
all but
but co-opted
co-opted
the movement as its ideological
ideological vanguard.
vanguard.
The most "moderate"

"moderate" member
memberof the first
of the firstLikud-Ied
Likud-ledgovernment,
government,Moshe
MosheDayan,
Dayan,resigned
resignedin inOctober
October 1979
1979
.. when Prime Minister Begin placed
placed thethe Minister of Interior, Joseph
of Interior, Joseph Burg
Burg (NRP),
(NRP), in
in charge
charge of of the
negotiations over the implementation of of autonomy for for the
the Palestinians.
Palestinians. This
This was
was not
notjust
just aa political
political slight
slight
of signalled Begin's
of Dayan. It signalled Begin's intention
intention to to abort
abort the autonomy
autonomy plan.
plan. The
The leaders of Gush
leaders of Gush Emunim
Emunim were were
overjoyed by Dayan's resignation and his replacement by Yitshak Shamir, Shamir, a leader
leader of
of the former
former Lehi
underground
underground(popularly
(popularlyknown
knownas asthe
theStern gang). This
Stem gang). This took
took place
place fully
fully six months prior
prior to
to the
the bombing
bombing
of
of the Palestinian mayors.
Ezer Weizman. other prominent "moderate"

Weizman, the other "moderate" member
memberof the first
of the firstLikud
Likudgovernment,
government, resigned
resigned asas
Minister of
of Defense toward the end of
Defense toward 1980, shortly
of May 1980, shortly after the murder
murderof of the
thesix
six yeshiva
yeshiva students
students in
Hebron. The Gush Emunim settlers rejoiced at his resignation and
Hebron. and were
were thrilled
thrilled with
with the
the eventual
eventual
appointment ofof Arik Sharon, their
their most
most reliable
reliable patron,
patron,to tothe
thepost
postafter
afterBegin
Beginheld himself for a period.
held itit himselffora
By the time the Jewish underground
underground launched
launched its
its first
firstoperation
operationon onJune
June3,3,1980,
1980,allallof
of the
the most
most powerful
powerful
positions in
in the government werewere held
held by
by individuals
individuals who who were
were strong
strong supporters of of Gush Emunim. It
cannot be said that
that the
the government
governmentwas was unresponsive.
unresponsive.The TheChief
Chiefof ofStaff
Staffof
of the
the Israel
IsraelDefense
Defense Forces
Forces was
was
supportive of Gush Emunim
strongly supportive Emunim and andits
itssettlement
settlementpolicies,
policies, asaswere
werekey
key settlement
settlementofficials
officials in the
Jewish Agency. TheThe results
results of
ofthe
the 1981
1981 election
electionresulted
resulted inin aa more
more militant
militant Likud government dominated
dominated
Begin,Shamir,
by the hawks, Begin, Shamir,andand Sharon,
Sharon, and
and the remaining terrorist
terrorist acts
acts took
took place
place during
during the
the tenure
tenureof
of
this government.
The apparent paradox,

paradox, that
that the
the underground
undergroundactually
actuallystruck
struckatatthe
thepeak
peakof
ofpower
powerand
andinfluence
influence ofof the
the
movement whichwhich spawned
spawned it,it, may
may offer
offeranan insight
insight into
into an
an alternative explanation.
explanation. The
The institutionalization
of
of Gush Emunim resulted in many of of its leaders
leaders gaining
gaining positions in government-subsidized or --
supported
supported institutions.
institutions. As
As the
the movement
movement successfully
successfully moved from from the
the margins
marginsofof the
the political
political system
system to
. the center,
center, its leaders may have appeared
appeared to to some
some ofof the
the more
more militant
militantmembers
memberstotohavehavebecome
become co-opted
co-opted
into the ruling political establishment. The resortresort to
to violence
violence and terrorism
terrorismmay
mayhave
have been
been motivated
motivated in
part by aa desire to revitalize the movement's more radical
part by radical stance.
stance. Although,
Although, as
as Sprinzak
Sprinzak notes,
notes, there
there was
was
initial condemnation of underground among
of the underground amongsomesomeelements
elements ofof Gush
Gush Emunim,
Emunim,eventually
eventually they
they won
won
the support
support and
andeven
even official
official defense by the movement. The radicals radicals succeeded
succeeded in forcing the moderates
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into a more militant position.
This is a vivid example of of the

the success
success of syndrome which I call the chain reaction of
ofaa syndrome of extremism.
extremism. In In a·
a
political system such
such as Israel's,
Israel's, which encourages aa multiplicity
multiplicity ofof parties
partieswithin
withinaarelatively
relativelyideological
ideological
political culture, there is a tendency
tendency for
for the
the parties
partiesto
tocompete
compete Withwiththeir
theirclosest
closest ideological
ideological rivals. In their
their
to establish their separate
attempt to separate identity
identity from
from the
the nearest
nearestrival,
rival,more
moremilitant
militantpositions
positions tend
tend to
to he
he taken.
taken.
This in turn pressures the moremore moderate
moderate party
partytotomove
move toward
towardmore
moreextreme
extremepositionS. This has
positions. This has
traditionally been
traditionally been the case with the religious parties. that within
parties. It is possible that within Gush
Gush Emunim
Emunim individuals
individuals
and groups affiliated with various ultra-nationalist parties,
parties, e.g.,
e.g., Techiya,
Techiya, Matzad (Morasha), and
Matzad (Morasha), and Kach,
Kach,
drove one another to greater
greater militancy
militancy and
and extremism.
extremism. WeWe see
see a similar phenomena
phenomena amongamong thethe
Palestinian movements which do not share many of of the other features
featuresofof the
the Israeli
Israelipolitical
political system,
system, and
and
among whom it it is
is frequently
frequently argued that despair
despair and
anddesperation
desperationare arethe
thecauses
causesofoftheir
theirchoice
choice of
of
terrorism.
that the
I suggest that the erosion
erosion of
of political authorityhas
political authority hasled
ledtotoaacrisis
crisisofoflegitimacy
legitimacyininIsraeli
Israelisociety
society which
which
produced the conditions in which the chain reaction of of extremism led to the outbreak of of terrorism. The
terrorism. The
of political authority
erosion of and of
authority and of the
the legitimacy
legitimacy of political institutions
institutions has
has been
been conspicuous
conspicuous during
decade. Iricreasing
the past decade. Increasing political
political polarization,
polarization, which
which included
includedthe theexploitation
exploitationofof ethnic
ethnichostilities,
hostilities,
reached aa peak
reached peak ofof domestic
domestic political
political violence
violence in the
the 1981
1981 election campaign.
campaign. The
The divisive
divisive war in in
Lebanon, protests and co~ter-demonstrations,
protests and counter-demonstrations,the theexploitation
exploitationofa of ageneral
generalsense
sense of
of national
national insecurity,
insecurity,
widespread verbal
widespread verbal violence
violence (e.g., frequent charges
charges of
of treason),
treason), and
andisolated
isolatedacts
actsof
ofphysical
physicalviolence
violence and
and
even terror (e.g., the throwing of a hand
terror (e.g., hand grenade
grenadewhich
which killed
killed aa young
young Peace
Peace Now
Now activist on February
10, 1983)
1983) were
were conditions
conditions which provided a context in which which violence
violence became increasingly conunoncommon and and
eventually accepted as a way of of life.
Hfe. The
The main
main theme of of the annual meeting of
annual meeting of the Israel
Israel Criminological
Criminological
Association meeting held on May 5-6, 1983, 1983, was
was "Violence
"Violence in Israeli Society."
Israeli Society."
attribute the
Some attribute the undermining
underminingof of the
therule
ruleoflaw
of law and
andthetheacceptance
acceptanceof violence to the military
of violence
occupation after
after the
the 1967 war.
war. Whatever
Whatever its its origins,
origins,the
theerosion
erosionof ofcivility
civility and
and oftolerane»-both
of tolerance—both social
social
and political-produced
and political—produced conditions
conditions which
which were
were congenial
congenial for
for the
thegrowth
growthof ofviolence.
violence. The
The
dehumanization of (e.g., Prime
of the enemy (e.g., Prime Minister
Minister Begin's
Begin's reference
reference to Palestinian
Palestinian terrorists
terrorists as "two
animals" and Chief
legged animals" of Staff
Chief of Staff Eitan's reference
reference toto them
them as
as "cockroaches")
"cockroaches")isis always
always aa prelude
prelude to to his
his
persecution and justifies
justifies the use of
of violence
violenceandand terror against him.
terror against him. In
Inthis
thisregard
regardthethehighest
highestlevel
level of
of
political leadership in the nation
nation set the
the tone
tone which
which gave legitimacy to the more extreme measures taken taken
underground.
by the underground.
Israeli political
. Israeli political culture
culture isis extremely
extremely fragile.
fragile.The
Thefewfew symbols
symbols and
andmyths
mythsof ofZionist
Zionistcivil
civil religion
religion which
which
Israeli (]~sh
unite all Zionists are not salient for the Israeli (Jewish and Arab) non-Zionists and
and Arab),non-Zionists andanti-Zionists.
anti-Zionists. Even
Even
among those who consider themselves Zionist, the ideological divisions divisions appear
appear to be more salient than than
broad cultural
cultural themes
themes which unite. For a long period the the Labor Party maintained
Labor Party maintained both
both political
political and
ideological dominance of ofthethe political system. The Likud,
Lilrud, in spite
spite of
of cOncerted
concerted efforts
efforts to
to dodo so,
so, failed
failed to
to
establish either political or ideological dominance. Gush
ideological dominance. Gush Emunim
Emunim has attempted to to create
create aa new
new and
and more
more
satisfying cultural alternative to fill the void. The
satisfying cultural The claim
claim to
to be
be reviving
revivingtraditional
traditional cultural
cultural patterns
patterns (both
(both
Zionist and religious) gives
gives Gush
Gush Emunim
Emunim thethe character of what
character of what Wallace
Wallace has
has called
called a revitalization
revitalization
movement.
I find this concept to

to be
be more
more useful than the
useful than the notion
notion of
offundamentalism
fundamentalism in in understanding
understanding important
aspects of
of Gush Emunim. Millenarian
Millenarian and and messianic
messianic revitalization
revitalizationmovements
movements across
acrossaawide
wide range
range of
of
cultures have produced various extreme forms of behavior among their adherents.
fonns of adherents. For
For example,
example, prophets
prophets
have convinced
convinced their
their disciples
disciples that
that bullets would bebe turned water. Politically
turned into water. Politically inspired revitalization
revitalization
movements, suchsuch as
as the
the anti-colonial
anti-colonial Mau
Mau Mau
Mau in Kenya, have been particularly noted for
particularly noted for their
theirviolence.
violence.
I think
think the
the anthropological
anthropological concept
conceptof of revitalization
revitalizationmovements
movementsmay aidin
mayaid inthe
theanalysis
analysisofof movements
movements
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such as Gush Emunim and may help illuminate

illwninate the rise of
of violence
violenceand
and terrorism
terrorism in contemporary
democratic societies.
democratic societies. .
Comments
by David C. lUpoport
Rapoport
Professor of PoUtic:al
Political Sdenc:e
Science
of California at
University of at Los
Los Angeles
Angeles
"Take only minutes," Ann

only ten minutes. No more than ten minutes," Ann Sheffield
Sheffield told me three
three or
or four
four times.
times. II was
was
flying in from
from the West Coast, and
and the
the whole
whole project
project was
was quite
quite expensive;
expensive; soso II calculated
calculated how
how much
much each
each
word would be worth and felt guilty at at the thought that
that II might
might waste
waste one.
one. II kept
kept remembering
remembering how how II felt
felt
when my mother used to complain, "it's "it's a shand
shandaa (shame) the way you waste your food," and Ms.
food," and Ms.
Sheffield's desperate concern made me worry in
me worry in the
the same
same way;
way. This
This is
is why I have constricted
constricted my
my
comments so unnaturally; and II hope,
so unnaturally; hope, to continue the metaphor,
metaphor, that
thatdoesn't
doesn'tgive
giveyou
you indigestion.
indigestion.
" ,. This is a rich and stimulating paper.

paper. The
The revealed
revealedreligions
religions have
have aa messianic
messianic component
component which
which remains
remains
latent to
to everyone most ofofthe time and becomes imminent to some unexpectedly at other times. Ehud Ehud
Sprinzak very clearly
Sprinzak very clearly details
details the
the circumstances
circumstances under
underwhich
whichmessianism
messianismbecame
becameimminent
imminentin inthe
thecase
caseof
of
indebted personally
the Gush Emunim. I am indebted to him
personally to for that,
him for that,because
because IIam
amengaged
engaged in
inaa study
study of
of
messianism
messianism andand terror and
and have
have discovered
discovered that
that the
the greatest
greatestproblem tryingto
problemisis trying todescribe
describe how
how aa
belief becomes
messianic belief becomes imminent.
imminent.
, There are
are two parts
parts to this paper:
to this paper:one
oneconsists
consists of to the Israeli case, and
of details specific to and the other perUiins
pertains
to our general
general understanding
understandingof of democracy
democracy and
andviolence.
violence. I'm
I'm not
notgoing
going to
to evaluate
evaluate the
the details
details of
of the.
the
paper, but
paper, but II do
do want to make some comments on on questions
questions raised
raised by
by the
the paper, particularly inin the
the more
more
general second portion. .
Regarding the first partwhich

first part whichdeals
deals with
with Israel,
Israel,two
two questions
questions should
should be
be raised.
raised. When
When we we realize
realize the
enormous hopes which
enonnous which traditional
traditional Judaism
Judaism associates returnto
associates with the return tothe
thePromised
PromisedLand,
Land,isisititpossible
possible
for Jews to go back without making a belief beliefin
in messianic
messianic transformation imminent? Certainly,
transforination imminent? Certainly, thisthis is
is not
not
restored Jewish
the first time a restored Jewish state
state has
has faced
faced the
the problem discussed by
problemdiscussed by Sprinzak.
Sprinzak.ItItwas
wasexperienced
experienced two two
thousand years ago after an earlier exile,
exile, and that produced
produced aa disastrous
disastrousstruggle
strugglewhich
which ledled to
to the
destruction of
of the Second Temple and and aa second exile, one lasting two thousand
thousand years.
years. II believe
believe the
problem may be even evenmore
morecentral
central to
to the
the nature
nature of
ofJudaism
Judaism than Sprinzak
Sprinzak has
has suggested.
suggested.
second question
The second question relates
relates to
to the
the place
place of
ofthe
the restoration
restoration' of
of the Jews in Christian and
and Islamic
Islamic
eschatology. What we
eschatology. What we call
callAmerican
American fundamentalism
fundamentalism'is really a form
is really fonn of messianism, and the 67·
Christian messianism,
of Christian 67
War stimulated it immensely, just as that war influenced Jewish messianism.
messianism. The
The restoration
restoration of
of the Jews,
Jews,
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\
believed, was
it was believed, was necessary
necessary to
to the
the Second
SecondComing.
Coming. The
The facts
facts have
have been
been documented
documented in Timothy P.
Weber's Living in the Shadow o/theof the Second Coming. In Islam there is'a tradition (Haddith) which relates
to this issue also. After Christ returns, the Moslem messiah (mandi) My question
(mahdi) will follow. My question is, "Does
the revival of religioUs feeling
of religious feeling Islam
Islam have anything to do with the
the sense
sense of messianic imminence among
Christians?"-a question which has never
Jews and Christians?"—a never been
been treated
treated as far as I know.
Let me
Let me now
nowturn to the
tum to the second
secondpart
part of
ofthe
the paper,
paper, the question about the relations
relations of
of democracy and
violence. ItIt was
·violence. was Norman
Norman Angell, think. who
Angell,II think, who said
saidthat
that in a democracy one substitutes ballots for bullets,
and Sprinzak
Sprinzak challenges
challenges this conventional wisdom, which which has become embedded
has become embedded in in contemporary
contemporary
science. Democracy
political science. Democracyisisimperfect,
imperfect, he hesays,
says,and because ititcannot
and because cannot satisfy everybody, it cannot free
itself from the possibility of
itself ofviolence.
violence. NoNodemocratic
democraticsystem
systemcan canever
evereliminate
eliminate the
the problem.
problem. In this
democraCy is just like all other political forms;
respect, democracy forms; they
they all
all ex.perience
experience violence
violence because they are
inherently imperfect forms.
forms. I agree that
that no
no democratic
democratic system
system can
can permanently
permanentlyexorcise-violence.
exorcise violence. But I
am much more pessimistic
pessimistic onon this
this issue
issue than Sprinzak: is, because
than Sprinzak because II would
would argue
argue that there
there is
is a special
violencein
disposition for violence indemocratic
democratic systems
systemsand that democratic systems produce more (not an equal
and that
violencethan
amount) violence than their
their various
various counterparts.
counterparts.
arguments rests
This arguments rests on two grounds.
grounds. The fIrst
first is that
that in
in democracy, competition or
democracy, competition or conflict
conflict is stimulated,
and that
that frequently
frequentlyencourages
encouragesviolence;
violence; and
andsecondly,
secondly, aa belief
belief in perfection,
perfection, which
which is an aspect of the
modern democratic ethos, creates
modem creates a propensity for violence and for terror
violence and terror as
aswell.
well. The
The two
two reasons
reasons have
have
by two
been developed by two sets ofwriters
setsof writers who
who use
usedifferent
different sources
sources to
to make
make their
their points.
In the Federalist Papers, strangely enough, the firstfirst view is represented.

represented. Looking
Looking atat the
theexperiences
experiences of
of
the city state, it is argued that
that democracy
democracy invites violence because democracy must have liberty, and
liberty stimulates factions which
which trespass
trespass on
on the ofothers and therefore
the rights of therefore provoke violent
violent reactions.
Hamilton said this in Paper
Paper No.9,
No.9, and he went on to say that is impossible to study the history
that itit is history of
of
democracy "without feelings of ofhorror
horror and
and disgust"
disgust."AndAndMadison
Madisonin inNo.
No. 10 said much the the same thing,
indicating that "Republics have short
short and
and violent
violent lives." Still, they both argued that that when
when republics did
worked better than all other forms
work, they worked forms did;
did; and
and they
they said thatthat there
therewas
was aa way
way toto get the
advantages ofofpopular
popular government
government without
without incurring
incurring the disadvantages.
What was the solution? Well, you know

know what
what the solution was; separation ofof power, federalism,
representative government,
representative and aagood
government, and good deal
deal of
of physical
physical space,
space, which all
all previous democracies
democracies which
were tiny ones did not have. These devices or circumstances would moderate conflict or check
devices or check it before it
would become violent
violent. . .
The question then waswas "Was

"Was the solution
solution aa democratic
democratic one?"
one?" Certainly, the anti-Federalists did not think
that this was a democratic solution to a democratic problem.
that this problem. And
And others
others who
who thought
thoughtdeeply
deeply onon the
the issue
issue
agreed. Sir Henry Maine, for example.
example, a 19th century English conservative political theorist, said that the
ideas behind the institutions ofofthe
the separation of federalism and
of powers, federalism and representation,
representation, were taken
taken over
from the federal
federal system, whose ethosethos was
was designed
designed to guarantee liberty and
to guarantee and privilege
privilege and
and as
as such was
antithetical to the spread
antithetical spread of
of democratic
democratic principles.
principles. Because
Because ofof those restraints,
restraints, America,
America, he
he claimed,
claimed, in
the middle of
of the 19th century was the most undemocratic country in the world! world! In a century or so that
fact would become
become self-evident.
self-evident.In Inthe
themeantime,
meantime, we wemust
must regard Fnmce as the
regard France the epitome
epitome of
of the .
experience. France
democratic experience. France introduced
introduced thethe reign ofofterror
terror to the modem
modern world, and wherever French
principles were spread, Maine argued, kind of
argued, aa kind of persistent
persistent violence
violence seemed to characterize the political
Democracy produced
system. Why? Democracy produced an unsatiable desire to attack privilege, and most govenunents
governments
which have absorbed French principles perpetualviolence.
principles would manifest this perpetual violence. Now he had in mind not
only what had happened in France
France between
between the
the Revolution
Revolution andand Louis
Louis Napoleon,
Napoleon, but
but he
he was
was looking at.
Latin America, and
Spain, at Latin and was
was thinking of of the future
future of
of what
what we call the third
third world.
world. The persistence
persistence
ofthe military uprisings were essentially
of essentially related
related to spread of
the spread
to the principles~
of democratic principles. .
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It is a fair question to ask whether the spread ofof democratic principles has brought more rather than less
violence? If If it has brought more, are we entitled to believe that the condition will
will persist? I can't answer
the question here, but I can say.that ifif you look at the history of
of the third world in particular, ballots are
not substitutes for bullets, ballots produce bullets. The coups and the violence nonnally
normally occur before
elections, during elections, and after elections. If
If you want to know when the next coup is likely to occur,
find out when the next election will be.
How about our own country? We have little violence associated with elections and on the whole very
little political violence. Still,
StiJI, when we describe elections, we use an extraordinary number of military
metaphors. We talk about campaigns, about strategy and tactics, and about mobilizing the public. We· We
speak ofof parties which have
have a cadre in them,
them. which is supplemented by volunteers. Areas which strongly
support particular candidates are citadels, etc. If
If you went through the newspaper and systematically
looked at the metaphors that we use to describe politics in a democratic country,
country, you would be entitled to
wonder whether we're describing politics or war. Psychologists might say this is sublimation, what we're
really doing is preventing ourselves from fighting by engaging in these activities which restrain us and
don't really produce violence. I remember using a version of of this myself when I contended that the
English passion for sports was an important reason why they developed their extraordinary respect
respect for
rules and keep violence at bay. But after watching the English at soccer matches recently, and
remembering that European countries have banned English teams, I'm not so sure anymore.anymore. In any case,
there may be a difference between short—and long run effects of
short-and long-nm of such sublimations.
The first general point is that democracy breeds conflict, it inflames internal
internal hostilities,
hostilities, it fans
fans pugnacious
pugnacious
emotions. It creates issues sometimes when no issue exists, because that is the only way way for an aspiring
different. It is usually made by
. politician to get ahead. The second point I want to make, however, is very different.
different scholars who, on the whole, ignore the initial point. Their argument is that modern democracy,
more than any other system, creates hopes that complete perfection in this world is possible. (Hope,
incidentally Hobbes tells us, is much more essential to revolutionary violence than discontent
discontent is. Hope
really fueled the Gush. It was the hope produced by the 1967 War, and then the the little frustration that took
place after the 1967 War. But it was the hope, not the frustration, opened up
frustration, which opened up the new
new vision.)
vision.)
Talmon, an Israeli whom you all know, first made this argument about perfection and and democracy
democracy in three
impossibl~to-read volumes on political messianism. Talmon thinks that the French Revolution
splendid, impossible-to-read
is source of
of this phenomenon. More recently, a similar argument was developed
developed in in aa brillant
brillant study by the
(Firein
Center's director, James Billington (Fire, in the
the Minds
Minds of
of Men:
Men: The
The Origin
Origin of
of the
the Revolutionary
Revolutionary Faith).
Faith).
Incidentally, considering the extraordinary length ofof his own monwnental
monumental study, Professor Billington,
who is with us tonight, could not object to my taking eleven or twelve minutes instead of of the ten allotted.
Billington argues that the desire for perfection is represented by a secular revolutionary
revolutionary tradition which
has persisted since the French Revolution. That tradition seems to manifest in aa kindkind ofof cyclical fashion,
and in this respect it resembles the messianic phenomenon which has latent and imminent phases. But
Billington's great work has a flaw, as far as the topic at hand is concerned;
concerned; he
he says
says in
in a footnote,
footnote, and he
really writes enormously
enonnously erudite footnotes, that there really is no connection between religious
messianism and our secular revolutionary tradition. I don't think he is right.
right. I believe there
there is
is aa close, very
persistent connection between these two hopes, and that both of of these things are related to democracy.
But my alarm has rung, and Ms. Sheffield is looking at me. I will conclude
conclude by
by reiterating that
that Sprinzak's
very perceptive original paper is too modest in its final
finai assessment of violence.
violence. Democracy is not the
equal of
of systems in producing violence. It breeds more internal vio,Ience
violence than any other system does. It
breeds it for two reasons; the classical argument based on the evidence of history
history is that it encourages
encourages
conflict, and the more modern argument
argwnent based on the special experience of the French Revolution is that
it produces a promise for perfection. When you have a belief
belief that perfection is possibe, terror will follow
soon. And on this point, democracy and the quest for perfection, Dr. Sprinzak ought to to read Billington's
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book, and Professor Billington ought to consider whether Dr. Sprinzak's paper has said anything that
ml'lke ~im
might make him change his mind on one important feature of
of the revolutionary faith.
faith.
back 10 lop
Table of Contents
Title
Introduction
History
The Emergence
Emergence of
of Gush Emunim
The Emergence of
of the Underground
. Ideology
Gush Emunim: Between Messianism and Fundamentalism
Yehuda Etzion and the Theology of

of Active Redemption
Terrorism
Toward Millenarian Terrorism: The Operation That Did Not Take Place
From Settler Extralegalism to Vigilante Terrorism
Terrorism, and Democracy: Some General Conclusions

Extremism. Terrorism.
The Violentization of
of Democracy
The Violentization ofIsraeli

of Israeli Democracy
Comments by Myron J. Aronoff
Comments by David C. Rapoport
Notes
Terrorism,and
andDemocracy
DemocracyThe
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Page28
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Notes
1. J; Boyer Bell, Terror out of

1. Cf. J. o/Zion: The Irgun.
Zion: The Irgun, Lehi
Lehi Stern
Sternand
and the
thePalestine
Palestine Underground (New
Martin's 1977).
York: St. Martin's 1977).
~.
2. Zvi Ranaan,
Ranaan, Gush Emunim (Tel Aviv:
Aviv; Sifriyat
Sifriyat Poalim, 1980),
1980), ch.
ch. 4; Danny Rubinstein, On the Lord's
4; Danny
Side: Gush
Gush Emunim (Hebrew) (Tel Aviv: Hakibutz
Hakibutz Hameuchad,
Hameuchad, 1982), 18-28;
18-28; E.
E. Sprinzak,
Sprinzak, "Gush
Emunim: The Iceberg
Emunim: The Iceberg Model
Model of
of Political Extremism," Medina, Mimshal
Extremism," Medina, MimshalVehechasim
Vehechasim Beinleumiim
Beinleumiim
(Hebrew) (Fall 1981) 29-30.
(Hebrew>. 17 (Fal11981) 29-30.
1.
3. Nequda (The journal
journal of the settlers
of the inJud~a,Samaria
settlersin Judea, Samariaand
andGaza--:-Hebrew)
Gaza-Hebrew) 86:
86: 6-7,
6-7.
~.
4. Nequda 69: 5-7.
2. Sprinzak, Gush
5. Sprinzak, Gush Emunim,
Emunim, 23-24.
23-24.
2.
6. Ibid., 26.
1.
7. Rubinstein, Lord's Side, 147-156.
~.
8. Menachem Livni, Interrogation (court documents),
documents), 18
18 May
May 1986.
2.
9. Interview with Etzion, 9 September
Interview with September 1985.
10. Ibid.
10.
11.
11. Itzhak Ganiram, Interrogation (court docwnents),
documents), 55 May
May 1984
1984
12.
12. Uri Meir, Interrogation (court docwnents),
documents), 30
30 April
April 1984.
11.
13. Livni, Interrogation,
Interrogation, 18 May 1984.
14.
14. Ibid.
li.
15. Etzion, Interview,
Interview, 9 September 1984.
12.
16. Livni, Interrogation,
Interrogation, 18 May 1985.
11.
17. Ibid.
ll.
18. Licht's Report
Report (court documents),
documents), 22
22 May 1984.
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19. For a definition of

19. of messianism see Hans Kohn, "Messianism" in the Encyclopedia ofof the Social
1935); cf. R. J. Zvi Werblorsky, "Messiah and Messianic Movements,"
Sciences (New York: Macmillian, 1935); Movements,"
The New Encyclopedia Britannica, vol. II (New York: Encylopedia Britannica Inc., 1981). .
20. For aa systematic treatment of

20. of the Concept of
of Fundamentalism see Robert E. Frykenberg, "Revivalism
and Fundamentalism: Some Critical Observations with Special Reference to Politics in South Asia"
Asia" in
James W. Bjorkman, Fundamentalism Revivalism and Violence in South Asia (forthcoming) (Riverdale:
(Riverdale:
Riverdale Co.), 1-5; Robert E. Frykenbergt "On the Comparative Study of
of Fundamentalist Movements:
Movements:
An Approach to Conceptual Clarity and Definition," (Working Paper, Woodrow Wilson
Wilson Center,
Center, Spring
Spring
1986).
1986).
11. C£ Zvi
21. Cf of Rav Kook
Zvi Yaron, The Teaching ofRav Gush Emunim,
Kook (Hebrew) (Jerusalem: 1979); Raanan, Gush Emunim, 28-
30; Charles S. Liebman & Eliezer Don-Yehiya, Religion and Politics in Israel (Bloomington:
(Bloomington: Indiana
University Press, 1984), 70-74.
22. Sprinzak. Gush Emunim, 29-30.

22. Cf. Sprinzak,
23. Raanan, Gush Emunim, 64-67.

23.
24. Cf.
24. C£ Uriel Tal, "Foundations of
ofaa Political Messianic Trend in Israel,"
Israel." The Jerusalem Quarterly 35
(Spring 1985).
(Spring 1985). .•.
25. Cf. Rav Zvi Yehuda Kook, "Honest We Shall Be: In the Land and in the Torah" (Hebrew), in Y.
25. Y.
of Settlement (Jerusalem: .1977),106-110.
Shaviv, A Land of 1977), 106-110.
26.
26. Sprinzak, Gush Emunim, 30; Uriel Tal, Messianic Trend,
Trend, 39-41.
27.
27. Sprinzak, Gush Emunim, 32-33.
28. of Zionist Fundamentalism in Israe1."

28. Cf. E. Sprinzak, "Gush Emunim: The Politics of Israel." (Research Paper,
The American Jewish Committee, New York, 1986), 11-13.
11-13.·
29.
29. Ibid.
30. Interview with Y

30. Yoel
001 Ben Nun, 10 Match 1985.
n.
31. Shabtai Ben Dov, The Redemption of
of Israel in the Crisis of
of the State (Hebrew) (Safad:
(Safad: Hamatmid,
1960);
1960); Prophesy and Tradition in Redemption (Tel Aviv: Yair Publications, 1979).
32.
32. Y. Etzion, "From the Flag
Flag of
of Jerusalem to the Redemption Movement" (Hebrew), Nequda
Nequda 94, 20
December 1985, 28.
33. Ibid., 22.

33.
34.
34. Y. Etzion, Temple Mount (Hebrew) (Jerusalem: E. Caspi [private publisher], 1985),
1985),2.
2.
35.
35. Ibid., 4.
36.
36. Y. Etzion,
Etzion, "To Fly, At Last, The Flag of
of Jerusalem" (Hebrew), Nequda 93 (22 November 1985):
1985): 23.
23.
E. Y. Etzion, "From the Laws of

11. of Existence to the Laws of Destination" (Hebrew), Nequda 75 (6 July
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1984): 26.
38. David Rapoport defines "hypernomion behavior" as "asceticism, excessive self

38. self discipline and a
ofmles
stringent observation of of the individual's life" in "Why Does
rules which comprehend every aspect of
Messianism Produce Terrorism?" (Unpublished paper read at the Eighty-First Meeting of of the American
Political Science Association, New Orleans, August 1985), 8. .
39. Cf. Raanan, Gush Emunim, ch. 3.

39.
40. Rapoport, Messianism, (abstract)

40.
!l.
41. Ibid., 16-18.
42. 18 May 1984.

42. Livni, Interrogation, 18 1984.
43. Chaim Ben David, Interrogation, 30 April 1984.

43.
44. Interview with Yehuda Etzion, 11

44. 11 September 1985.
45. Livni, Interrogation, 18 May 1984.

45.
Expurgate Temple Mount" (Hebrew), Nequdd

46. Y. Etzion, "I felt an Obligation to Expurgate
46. Nequda 88 (24 June 1985):
24-25.
"The American Vigilante Tradition" in H. Graham &

47. Cf. Richard Maxwell Brown, "The
47. & T. Gurr, eds.,
Violence in America (New York: Signet Books, 1969), 144-146; John H. Rosenbaum & & C.
C. Sederberg,
of Establishment Violence," Comparative Politics 6 (1974).
"Vigilantism: An Analysis of
48. Richard Maxwell Brown, "Legal and Behavioral Perspectives on American Vigilantism,
48. Vigilantism,""
Perspectives in American History 5 (1971), 95-96.
49. Giora Goldberg and Ephraim Ben Zadok, "Regionalism and Territorial
49. TerritOrial Cleavage in Formation:
Jewish Settlements in the Administered Territories" (Hebrew), Medina, Mimshal Vechasim Beinleumiim
21 (Spring 1983).
50~ Judith Carp, "Investigation of

50. of Suspicions Against Israelis in Judea and Samaria,". "A Report of
of the
Follow Up Committee (Hebrew), 23 May 1982. 1982..
~.
51. David Weisburd with Vered Vinitzky, "Vigilantism as Rational Social Control: The Case of
of Gush
Emunim Settlers" in M. Aronoff, ed., Religion and Politics,
Politics, Political Anthropology, vol. 3 (New
Brunswick: Transaction Books).
52. Ibid., 82.

52.
53. Cf. Meron Benvenisti, The West Bank Data Project (American Enterprise Institute, Washington, DC,
53.
41-43; Dedi Zuker, "A Study of
1984),41-43;
1984), of Human Rights in the Territories Administered by the IDF, 1979-
1983," Interim Report (International Institute for Peace in the Middle East, 1983).
54. Weisburd & Vinitzky, Religion and Politics, 80-82.

54.
~. Livni, Interrogation, 18 May

51. May 1984.
1984. ,.
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56.
56. Ibid.
57. Shaul Nir, Interrogation, 9 May 1984.

57.
58. For an early argument in this direction

58. direction see
see E.
E. Sprinzak,
Sprinzak. "The. Revolt Against
"The Revolt Against the
the Open
Open Society and the .
Phenomenon of of Delegitimization:
Delegitimization: The Case ofof the American New Left" iri
in Dante Germino and Klaus
Beirne, eds., The Open Society in Theory and Practice (The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, 1974).
Von Beime,
59. For a useful collection on the debate about the End of

59. Ideology. see Chaim Waxman. ed., The End of
ofldeology. of
Ideology Debate (New York: Funk and Wagnall. 1968).
1963) Postscript.
60. Cf. Seymour Martin Lipset, Political Man (New York: 1963)
60.
of "secularization writings in the academic domain of political

61. The first essay that started the long list of
61.
science was Gabriel Almond's "Comparative Political Systems," The Journal of of Politics (August 1956).
62. While the systematic literature on terrorism leaves much to be desired, the study of
62. of social conflict,
collective action and political violence has achieved, in the last twenty years, great sophistication and .
theoretical rigor. The propositions advanced in this section are based on this theoretical
theoretical corpus
corpus which is
best represented by: S. M. Barnes, M. Kaase, et at., Mass Participation
al., Political Action: Mass Participation in Five
Five Western
Democracies (Beverly Hills: Russel Sage, 1979); H. Ekstein (ed.), Internal War (New York: The Free
Press of Glencoe. 1964); W. A. Gamson, Power and Discontent (Homewood: Dorsey, 1968) and The
of Glencoe, The
Strategy of
Strategy ofSocial. Protest (Homewood: Dorsey, 1975); T. R. Garr, Why
Social Protest Why Men
Men Rebel
Rebel (Princeton: Princeton
al., Rogues,
University Press, 1970); T. R. Garr et al., Rogues, Rebels and Reformers:
Reformers: AA Political
Political History
History ·ofUrban
of Urban
. Crime and Conflict (Beverly
(Beverly Hills: Sage Publications, 1979); E. N.N. Muller, Agressive Political
Participation (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1979);
1979); A. Obershall.
Obershall, Social Conflict and Social
Movements (Englewood
(EngleWood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, 1973); C. Tilly, From
From Mobilization
Mobilization to
to Revolution (Reading:
Revolution (Reading:
Addison-Wesley, 1978); S. Verba, N. Nie and J. Kim, Participation and Political Equality (London:(London:
Cambridge University Press, 1978).
Web
Web E4lIior', Note
Bator's Note
This document has been edited slightly to conform to American stylistic, punctuation and
and hypertext
conventions. No further changes to the text have been made.
made.
This document is best viewed with 1024x768 pixel screen area.

area.
Reprinted in accordance with U.S.

U.S. copvright.law.
copyright law.
Alibetter's Archive
Ala"""'" Arthlye
~_
:l _ ~~ster's
Alabasters
• _ _ ______
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Fundamentalism, Terrorism,

Fundamentalism, Terrorism, and Democracy:

This paper was originally presented for discussion at a colloquiwn

Single copies ofthis

study isis part

The terrorism introduced

This study was

This general interest

The Emergence of Gush Emunim

Gush Emunim was officially

Day War of of1967.

But while most ofthe

In one stroke a flame had been been lit and

The new theology

The founding meeting

The most controversial issue

The Likud victory in in the elections of May .1977

But Gush Emunim did did not

The Emergence of the Underground

September 17, 1978,

Some time early in 1980

consequences. Livni's conclusion,

The "mayors affair"

While the "mayors

The indefinite postponment in 1982 1982 ofofthe

The emerging Hebronite fatalism was most visiblevisible in

A thorough examination of of the spiritual

The relation between the messianic

father never advocated political

The result ofof the encounter of

The fundamentalist members of

its many mistakes it had a bright

It was on the issue

The unique feature

The main thrust

ha-Rav, and by implication Gush Emunim

What, then, is to be done? What direction should the misled Gush

Etzion's deviation from the standard

Why did Etzion focus on

David's property in Temple Mount is is therefore

The redemption ofof the nation was stopped, according to to Etzion,

But how did Etzion, aa very

Etiion, and talking to him, reveals a unique combination of an

Securing and preserving 'life or its

Once adopting the the laws of

Toward MilleDarian OoeradoD That Did Not Take Place

Rapoport argued convincingly that messianism-once

Under certain conditions, that usually imply a failure ofan

Shortly after President Sadat's Visit

of the project was described in great detail

As we have already seen, Operation Temple Mount never took place.

abandoned by Menachem Livni, the "commander." Onlytwo

From Settler ExtraiegaUsm to Vigilante

Planning and executing the attack attack on on the

The answer to these questions,

While the extralegal nature of Gush

prevailed, but with no proof. However, in 19821982 aa committee

The vigilantism ofofGush

Emunim rabbi and since ·1981

I would like to add that in the time span of

enthusiastic members of of the American, German,

Today, it isis undeniable

This optimistic philosophy