Israel’s Struggle against Palestinian Terrorism in Judea and Samaria, 2000–2023

Abstract

Beginning in 1994, Israel has faced several waves of terrorism as a result of the Oslo Accords, which transferred control the Gaza Strip and parts of Judea and Samaria from Israel to the Palestinian Authority. This article will review the security history of the violent confrontation between Israel and the Palestinians in Judea and Samaria from the signing of the first Oslo Accords, through the Second Intifada (late 2000), and until August 2023. The purpose of the article is to review, analyze, and present the differences in Israel’s security conduct over the years, and to draw conclusions about successes and efforts to reduce Palestinian terrorism from Judea and Samaria. The article, which is divided into two sections, analyzes changes in Israeli perceptions and conduct vis-à-vis the Palestinian Authority at the political and military levels. The study shows how Israel gradually increased its actions and military might against terrorists in the Palestinian Authority from the beginning of the Second Intifada, and Palestinian terrorism decreased in 2004 and 2005. Accordingly, the study shows that the more Israel increased its military pressure and sought to defeat terrorism, the less terrorism there was against it in terms of both quality and quantity.