ABSTRACT
Terrorism in Israel as well as the Palestinian territories is rampant. But not only Palestinian groups see the conflict as a cause for violent struggle, also international terrorist groups take the Israeli–Palestinian conflict as a justification for violence. Israel is understood as an aggressor with imperialist intentions and as a puppet of the United States. The struggle against further and ongoing oppression – so Abullah Azzam states – is a necessity:
As we have seen, jihad is a personal duty in the case that Muslim territory is under attack. It is a duty for those living in these territories, as well as inhabitants of neighbouring territories. Are there too few, are they not willing or incapable, then the duty goes on to those that are in their vicinity, until the whole territory is given back to Muslims. Otherwise, all Muslims are in sin. This refers particularly to current conflicts such as Afghanistan, Palestine, and so on. We have said: We must concentrate our efforts on Afghanistan and Palestine because these are critical issues. The occupying power there is very dangerous and wants to spread its sphere of influence over the whole region. Therefore, the solution of these issues is central to many other conflicts in which Muslims are involved (Keppel and Milelli 2005, 180ff).
