The Palestinian Setback
September 11Traces how the September attacks alter the political environment for Palestinians and make Israeli repression easier to intensify.
increasing
Bearing strength in each event
decreasing
Bearing strength in each eventdecreasingA Vulnerable Moment
A Vulnerable Moment
The attacks immediately weaken Palestinian political prospects, according to Chomsky’s account.
Association and Suspicion
The global security response makes it easier to associate Palestinian demands with terrorism, despite differences among actors.
Strategic Loss
The attacks give the Israeli government an opening to pursue policies with less international scrutiny.
Israeli Opportunity
Israeli Opportunity
Chomsky reports that Israeli officials welcome the new political conditions as an opportunity to act more forcefully.
A Shift in Attention
International focus moves away from the occupation and toward a global campaign against terrorism.
Unequal Leverage
The change in attention leaves Palestinians more exposed to the stronger party’s decisions.
Tanks Enter Cities
Tanks Enter Cities
Israeli tanks enter Palestinian cities, including Jenin, Ramallah, and Jericho.
Escalating Pressure
Chomsky describes deaths and a tightening of control over Palestinian communities.
Familiar Pattern
He links the moment to recurring cycles in which violence by one side invites further escalation rather than resolution.
The Broader Conflict
The Broader Conflict
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is drawn into the rhetoric of a global struggle against terrorism.
Political Framing
Chomsky warns that treating diverse causes as a single enemy category obscures local histories and grievances.
Consequences for Civilians
That framing can justify actions that deepen suffering without addressing the conditions sustaining conflict.
A Narrowed Opening
A Narrowed Opening
Talk of a new American approach to the Palestinian crisis raises expectations, but Chomsky doubts that policy will substantially change.
Camp David Context
He argues that even earlier American proposals were less generous than their public reception suggested.
Little Political Gain
In his assessment, September 11 has weakened Palestinian prospects rather than opened a durable route to settlement.
September 11, 2001
Within days of September 11
The days after September 11
September 2001, as international attention shifts
October 2001
