Anti-Israel movements

Anti-Israel movements are movements directed against the Israeli government and sometimes rejecting the Zionist premise of Israel's existence.

These political movements come in two basic variations:

• Pacifists who believe there is a possibility to negotiate with the Israelis for their removal from territories that areoccupied in violation of international law.

• Militants who believe there is no hope for negotiation with their enemy, which they perceive to be foreign imperialists. Some of these militants espouse a doctrine of warfare referred to by the UN as "terrorism". As in many such wars, these groups have been accused of targeting civilians, noncombatants, and civilian infrastructure.

Israeli Response

The Israeli government argues that it is not occupying any territories in violation of any law, and that the militants mentioned above are illegal combatants. Israel further argues that it has attempted negotiations, but that the militants are unwilling to negotiate.

Israel also accuses the Palestinian Authority and Yasser Arafat of, not only failing to take firm action against the illegal combatants, but aiding and abetting in the crime of terrorism.

See also: Fatah, Hamas, Hezbollah, al-Aqsa Intifada, first Intifada, Israel Defense Forces, Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Kach, Palestinian Authority, Palestine Liberation Organization, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Palestinian territories, Arafat, Yasser