Citation

Hanauer LS. Stud. Conflict Terrorism 1995; 18(4): 245-270.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1995, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/10576109508435984

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

By applying theological arguments for a Jewish Eretz Israel (biblical Greater Israel) to modern Israeli politics, Jewish fundamentalist organizations--most notably Kach, Kahane Chai, and Gush Emunim--are gradually redefining the focus of Jewish theology and politics; they have begun to elevate the territory of the Land of Israel, rather than the Israelites' covenant with God, to the status of the core element of Jewish national identity. To further their vision of an exclusively Jewish Israel--an event seen as necessary for the coming of the messiah and the divine redemption--these organizations also use religious arguments to sanction and even encourage violence against Palestinians and Jews who "betray" the Judaization of the Promised Land. The three movements attract support from the relatively small numbers of Israeli settlers who have moved to the West Bank out of a sense of religious obligation, and they recruit primarily from this segment of the population; ongoing violence and security concerns, however, do also render many secular Israelis sympathetic to their agendas. By exploiting the fears created by Israel's tense political environment, territorial Jewish fundamentalism creates further rifts between Jews and Palestinians and poses a serious obstacle to a lasting peace in the Middle East.

Language: en