Cauldron Of Terror Gaza, Hamas, Israel, and the World 500 Days in Gaza Chapter Two Podcast Four

Welcome to an excerpt of Cauldron Of Terror Gaza, Hamas, Israel, and the World, written by Mark Silinsky and published by Pen and Sword. This is presented by Kensington Security Consulting, which brings education to national security. This is the fourth excerpt from chapter two - Hamas and the Intifadas   The First Intifada   The term ‘Intifada’ refers to large-scale, coordinated, and ongoing Palestinian attacks against Israeli targets over a specific period. The First Intifada began in December 1987 after a collision between a truck driven by an Israeli and a car driven by a Palestinian, which resulted in four Palestinian deaths. Israeli authorities believed the incident was an accident; however, many Palestinians saw it as an act of revenge. Soon, Palestinian anger erupted in the streets of Gaza and the West Bank, leading to what became known as the First Intifada. Some leaders in the West Bank were surprised, as the PLO’s leadership had been exiled to Tunis and had lost some influence over the Palestinian population.   Violent attacks and nonviolent protests occurred within the civil administration and schools, led by the Unified Leadership of the Uprising (UNLU). Stone-throwing became more prevalent during the First Intifada, fueled by prominent media coverage. Photos of children throwing stones at Israeli soldiers and tanks became iconic, boosting public support for Hamas. Gaining media sympathy became a key and effective strategy during the Second Intifada, earning it the nickname ‘War of Stones.’ Violence decreased around 1993, when Arafat signed the Oslo Accords, a partial peace deal with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Hamas rejected the ceasefire and carried out periodic suicide bombings. Seven years later, a new intifada would begin.   The Second Intifada – Blood-Red Miniature War   The Second Intifada began in 2000 after Ariel Sharon visited Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, a site sacred to both Jews and Muslims. Sharon had many monikers, one of which was the ‘Bulldozer.’ He was short, broad, and audacious in war. He was recognized as a skilled and bold soldier who helped lead the IDF to victory after initial setbacks in the October 1973 War. Like Moshe Dayan, he was born in Mandate Palestine and became involved in arms at an early age. Throughout his life, he fought in all of Israel’s wars, including the War of Independence. Like many Israeli general officers, he played a political role and helped establish the Likud Party in 1973. He was a hawk, but he changed when he became Prime Minister in 2001.   In any event, his visit to the Temple Mount sparked widespread protests, demonstrations, and suicide bombings, leaving nearly 1,000 Israelis killed or wounded in Palestinian terror attacks. Many Israelis believed their lives had not improved since 1993 and felt disillusioned after the failed Camp David summit in July 2000.   One of the most notorious attacks of the Second Intifada was the bombing of a hotel in Netanya, known as the Passover Seder Massacre of March 2002. Thirty people, primarily older adults, some of whom had survived the Holocaust, were killed, and dozens were maimed and injured when a Hamas suicide bomber detonated his explosive. Palestinian operatives from Hamas and Fatah, who helped plan the attack, received multiple life sentences. The families of the attackers were awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars.               Other horrific attacks made international headlines for their brutality. In August 2001, a suicide bomber detonated his device at the Sbarro pizza restaurant in Jerusalem in the early afternoon, when pedestrian traffic was at its peak. The attack killed 16 people, including seven children. Scores of others were maimed and disfigured. One of the injured remained in a coma for 22 years before she died in June 2023. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack. A female conspirator, who disguised herself as a Jewish tourist to enter the restaurant, bragged about her participation. She was released from prison in 2011 in an exchange for Hamas’ abducted Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit.               In April 2003, two British-born operatives of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade entered Israel from Jordan. One tried to enter Mike’s Place, a popular nightclub in Tel Aviv near the United States Embassy. The security guard stopped him from entering the club, and the bomber detonated himself, killing three people and injuring 55. His accomplice’s suicide bomb failed to go off, and he was dead.                In response to the attacks, Israeli forces targeted militant strongholds in Bethlehem, Jenin, Nablus, Qalqilya, and Ramallah – areas that had been under Palestinian control for years. The operation uncovered 23 bomb-making facilities. In 2004, Israel assassinated Yassin, and the Second Intifada ended sometime the following year. However, sporadic terrorist attacks continued. In late 2008, Israel launched Operation Cast Lead to weaken Hamas. The outcome was uncertain; Hamas was not defeated and may have even grown stronger after the attack. Once again, the conflict drew significant support from the Palestinian public. However, some observers argue that the Intifada did not succeed. While the suicide bombings stopped, so did the Intifada, without any noticeable gains. As a result, some assessed Hamas’s use of terror as a failure, since Israel did not surrender.   The Third Intifada – the Global Intifada   The term ‘Global Intifada’ was created well before the October 2023 attack, but became more popular afterward. The term is slang and carries different, nuanced meanings for those who use it. However, the refrain is mostly used as a call for the violent elimination of Israel. Some protests have been peaceful, many have been loud, and some have involved varying levels of violence.   Global Intifada has become a rallying cry at protests worldwide since October 7, 2023. Notable locations include Times Square, the Consulate General of Israel in Manhattan, central London, Harvard University, and Crown Heights, New York, a neighborhood with a large Jewish community. It has been shouted at many American universities. This slogan has been adopted by various anti-Israel activist groups, including Within Our Lives. This community group, which identifies as Palestinian-led, organized protests to boycott Israel outside the New York Times, Penn Station, Grand Central Station, BlackRock, and Israeli tech companies. At McGill University in Canada, a student protest became tense when campus police dismantled an anti-Israel demonstration. Students shouted, ‘F –  the dismantling, globalize the intifada.’ In Europe, ‘Intifada’ was a song by a popular Spanish band accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians, comparing it to the Holocaust. The song was banned in Germany.   Hamas Terrorism Post-October 7, 2023   Israeli security officials expected a repeat of the Intifada suicide bombing campaign, which Hamas’s foreign policy adviser, Dr. Ahmed Yousef, had promised. However, by early 2026, this had not occurred. Several factors contributed to this. It is much more difficult for Hamas to infiltrate Israel. The IDF is on high alert, and the security barriers provide additional protection. Additionally, the IDF recognizes the threat posed by tunnels.   Israeli intelligence has targeted locations controlled by Hamas, including mosque classes, student unions, sports clubs, and other sites used by Hamas for training and recruitment. Hamas has recruited Palestinians not affiliated with the Qassam Brigades for logistical and operational support, even directing suicide bombers to their targets. However, there may not be widespread willingness to volunteer for such missions. A sense of betrayal dampens support for Hamas. Its leaders promised liberation but have instead brought devastation, particularly since 2023. During both Intifadas, Israel focused mainly on defensive measures, such as border and internal security, while maintaining a defensive posture. Since October 7, Israel has adopted an offensive approach, keeping Hamas’s leadership off balance. The full extent of high-level and systemic corruption has been made clear to the world in recent years. Four of its leaders – Moussa Abu Marzouk, Khaled Meshaal, Ismail Haniyeh, and Yahya Sinwar – embezzled billions of dollars intended for Gaza’s impoverished people, many of whom live in near poverty or destitution.   `           This concludes the readings from chapter two from "Cauldron of Terror Gaza, Hamas, Israel, and the World,” written by Mark Silinsky and published by Pen and Sword. If you enjoyed them, please consider subscribing to continue listening to other chapters. This book will be available online or at major bookstores worldwide soon. This reading does not represent the official position of any agency or individual within the United States government. On behalf of Kensington Security Consulting, thank you for listening.