(Newsweek) Jonathan Schanzer - The word "intifada" refers to the recurring effort by Palestinians to expel Israel. The First Intifada erupted in 1987. The Second Intifada began in 2000. There was also the Arab Revolt of the 1930s that can be described as an intifada. Yet few Palestinians remember that all three uprisings were disasters for their people. The violence of the Arab Revolt in the 1930s left 5,000 Palestinians dead and 15,000 wounded. During the First Intifada, an estimated 1,376 Palestinian died and at least three times as many were wounded, with Palestinians killing at least 800 of their own. The Second Intifada led to 2,700 Palestinians deaths and thousands more Palestinians injured. Undeniably, the intifadas have harmed Israel. But Israel has not only endured - it has thrived. The same cannot be said for the Palestinians. Those warning of another intifada are right to sound the alarm. Those advocating for one either don't know the history or choose to ignore it. The writer is senior vice president for research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
2023-02-27 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive