Benjamin Netanyahu: Theory vs. Practice in Counter-Terrorism - Research Paper Example

The imminence of the danger of terrorism is underscored by the fact that terrorists who target Israel hail from Israel’s neighboring countries. To this effect, Israel serves as an appropriate test case, since it has for many years dealt with Palestinian and Shiite terrorism on a relatively large scale. Given that Benjamin Netanyahu (b. October 21, 1949) has served as Prime Minister of Israel for two terms [June 18, 1996-July 6, 1999 and March 31, 2009], it is given that his persuasion towards terrorism and security has informed Israel’s intelligence and counterterrorism policy.

The same value being attributed to Netanyahu is underscored by the fact that Netanyahu has served as the Captain in Sayeret Matkal; meaning that he discharged pivotal roles in the Battle of Yom Kippur and the Sabena Flight 571. Similarly, Netanyahu has also served as the Deputy Chief of Mission and Ambassador to the United Nations and also the Head of Jonathan Netanyahu Anti-Terror Institute. It is at the time Netanyahu is at the helm in the Jonathan Netanyahu Anti-Terror Institute that PLO as a terrorist outfit was excised from Lebanon and Jordan.

There were neither suicide bombings nor rocket launching during this time also. That Netanyahu is an MIT graduate is a factor that underscores the strong grasp of matters intellectual, of which terrorism and national security are pertinent issues. Therefore, that Netanyahu as a scholar and seasoned public servant has contributed to the world of academics and security is a matter that enables people to study and determine the very ideas that Netanyahu believes are key to effective counterterrorism.

One of the strengths of Netanyahu’s approach to counterterrorism is that he begins by descriptively qualifying terrorism for what it is. According to Netanyahu, terrorism is the deliberate and systematic murder, maiming and menacing of the innocent, in order to inspire fear for political objectives.