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How Israel Became a Role Model in Fighting Terrorism
(Les Echos-France) Nathalie Hamou - In the wake of last month's tragedy in Nice, just like after the attacks in Paris on Nov. 13, 2015, "the Israeli model" was put forward for meeting the terrorist threat in France. Israel has become a textbook case for how to handle a permanent state of insecurity, and this expertise could be a source of inspiration for European decision-makers. According to David Khalfa, research associate for the IPSE think tank, "Israeli anti-terrorism is based on defensive modes of action, such as safety barriers and military checkpoints, as well as offensive ones like infiltrations, preventive arrests, and targeted killings. This double-edged approach, coupled with its security cooperation with the Palestinian Authority, allowed Israel to significantly bring down the number of major-scale attacks." The cornerstone of Israel's anti-terrorism system is the intelligence apparatus, coupled with elite counter-terrorism units. Israel can react extremely quickly in case of an attack, and Israeli civil society plays an especially important part in fighting terrorism. "The public's awareness and resilience are a key asset," explains Boaz Ganor, director of the International Institute for Counter Terrorism (ICT) of the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya. The authorities take many preventive measures, such as banning vehicles from circulating in entire areas altogether during major events and gatherings. Checkpoints and barricades are also erected. Blocks of concrete or metal rods were installed at bus stops to protect commuters and stop ramming attacks against exposed pedestrians. Israel has also invested heavily in monitoring social networks.