Figure 1.-- Three Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine terrorists in Lebanon managed to cross the border and enter Israel (May 13, 1974). What followed was one of the most vicious Palistinian terror attacks in the history of this sad conflict. The terrorists first attacked a van, killing two Israeli Arab women. We are not sure why they killed Arab women. Next they entered an apartment building in the town of Ma'alot where they killed a couple and their 4-year-old son. Finally they headed for the Netiv Meir Primary School. There they seized and held 115 people (including 105 children) hostage, resulting in a 2-day stand off. The terrorists demanded the release of 23 Palestinian militants from Israeli prisons, threntening to kill the children if their demands were not met. A unit of the Golani Brigade stormed the building to free the children. The hostage-takers began killing the children with grenades and automatic weapons. Utimately 21 people were killed and 78 wounded. The caption here read, "Israeli troops, heavilky armed, carry a school boy shot thriugh the arm and chest after gun battle in Maalot, Israel May 15. Some 16 persons were reported killed and more than 70 wounded."

Palistinian groups escalted the terror attacks. after the failure of Arab arms in the Six Days War and the Israeli occupation of the West Bank began a new more intense terror campaign. The major target was civilians. These were not civilians killed inadvertedly inattacks on military targets, but the civilians themselves became the major targets. Children were targeted as part of this effiort. The most notable attack was at a schhol in Maalot (1974). Killing Isreali civilians thus became the major target in a war of attrition with Israel. Aran supporters today compolain of the Isreali Security Wall. They conveniently forget the Palestinian attacks on civilins that led to the construction of the Wall. This was primarily Isrealis, but Jews outside of Israel were also targeted. Here the most spectacular attack was at the 1972 Olympics Games in Munich.

1970

The Palistinian terror attacks that made headlines in the 1970s were mostly aircraft hijackings. They were the high profile attacks because the passengers were an international mix including Americans and Europeans. They were not the only attacks. We see terrorists crossing the border and attacking Israeli civilans. Children were a priority target for the Palestinians here because of the emotional response of the Israelis. We note a terrorist attack on a school bus along the Lebanese border, killing 8 children and injuring many more. Attacks like this led to a call in Israel for sepation from the Palestinians. At the time large numbers of Palestinians were working in Israel the current situation of isolation and ecomomic depression did not yet exist. The demand for separation would increase wiyth the Iterfada (1984), but this was the beginning and would eventually lead to the Israeli West bBank Barrier Wall. It would prove highly effective. .

1971

Turkey (May)

Turkish radicals assassinated Israeli consul general in Istanbul (May 17). This was part of a joint operation with Palestinian terrorists. Turkey was at the time a Muslim, but secular country that had recognized Israel. There was, however, considerable popular support for the Palestinians.

Jordan (November)

Palestinian Black September terrorists attack the Jordanian prime minister Wasfi Tal (November 28). He was shot and killed by at the Sheraton Hotel in Cairo, Egypt. A Black September hit squad a month later attack a month later the Jordanian ambassador in London, England. He is shotm but survives.

1972

Israel--Lod Airport (May)

A combined effort by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and Japanese Red Army brings off an attack at Lod airport (May 30). The errorists open autimatic weapns fire in the passenger terminal of Lod Airport, Israel. The kill 26 civilians and wound 78others. The terrorists are shot and killed by the security fiorces except Japanese terrorist Kozo Okamoto.

Germany (September)

Eight Palestinian Black September terrorists take 11 Israeli athletes in the Olympic Village in Munich, Germany (September 5). West German police bungle the rescue attempt. Nine of the hostages and 5 terrorists are killed.

Britain (September)

Palestinian terrorists kill a staff member at the Isreali embassy in London. A letter bomb was used in the attack.

1973

Cyprus (March)

Palestinian Black September terrorists murder an Israeli businessman on Cyprus (March 12)..

Greece (August)

A Black September suicide squad attacks passenger terminals at Athens airport, Greece (August 5). They choose Greece because of lax security. They kill 3 civilians and injure 55 others. The purpse of these bloody attacks was to firce America and other countries to cut ties with Israel.

Rome (December)

Palestinian terrorists bomb the Pan Am office at Fiumicino airport, Rome, Italy (December 17). They killing 32 civilians and injure 50 otyhers. The terrorist took seven Italian policemen hostage and hijack an aircraft to Athens, Greece, before flying on to Kuwait they kill one of the hostages. They surrender in Kuwait.

1974

Sudan (March)

Palestinian Black September terrorists seize the Saudi Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan (March 1). They take several diplomats from Arab and western countries hostages. The terrorists murder two American and one Belgian diplomat.

Israel-- Qirayt Shemona settlement (April)

Terrorists of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command seize part of the Qirayt Shemona settlement in northern Israel (April 11). They killed 18 Israelis by detonating explosives during the rescue attempt.

Israel--Ma'alot School (May)

Three Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine terrorists in Lebanon operating from Lebabon managed to cross the border and enter Israel (May 13). What followed was one of the most vicious Palistinian terror attacks in the history of this sad conflict. The terrorists first attacked a van, killing two Israeli Arab women. We are not sure why they killed Arab women. A reader writes, "About Arab/Israeli citizens being killed in Israel. Two fundamental reasons for this. In many cases the attackers were probably so poorly educated and brainwashed since their childhood that they assumed only Jews lived in Israel--no Muslims or Christians. Secondly, many fanatical groups believe that all Arabs should have left Israel when the country was created. Many view Isreali Palistinians as esentially traitors." Next the terrorists entered an apartment building in the town of Ma'alot where they killed a couple and their 4-year-old son. Finally they headed for the Netiv Meir Primary School. There they seized and held 115 people (including 105 children) hostage, resulting in a 2-day stand off. The terrorists demanded the release of 23 Palestinian militants from Israeli prisons, threntening to kill the children if their demands were not met. A unit of the Golani Brigade stormed the building to free the children. The hostage-takers began killing the children with grenades and automatic weapons. Utimately 21 people were killed and 78 wounded.

Israel--Shamir kibbutz (June)

Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine terrorists raid the Shamir Kibbutz (June 13). The four terrorists and several Israelis are killed in the fire fight.

Israel--Nahariya (June)

Al Fatah Palestinian terrorists stage a rare anphibious attack (June 26). They land by boat near Nahariya, Israel, and attempt to seize civilians as hostage. Three Israelis and all the terrorists are killed in the firefight.

1975

France (January)

Arab terrorists attack Orly airport (January 19). They seizing 10 hostages in a terminal bathroom. The French negotiate with the terrorists and providecthem a plane to fly Baghdad, Iraq where they are released.

Austria (December)

Notorious international terrorist, Carlos "The Jackal" aworking with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine in one of the most spectacular terrorist attacks of the decade. He seizes 11 oil ministers and 59 civilians during the OPEC meeting in Vienna, Austria (December 21). He is allowed to fly to Algeria and paid off with several hundred million dollars in ransom money, The incident poroves toi be his undoing. His orders were to kill Saudi oil mimister Al Nymini. Not only did he not do this, but he kept most of the ransome money. This undermine his Palestuinian connections and eventually lead to the Sudanese turning him over to French authorities.

1976

Turkey (August)

Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and Japanese Red Army terrorists attack the passenger terminal at Istanbul airport (August 11). They kill 4 civilians and injuring 20 oyhers. Apparently the Turks were seen as friendly to Israel. The Palestiniahns and most Arab countries expected a Muslim country to support their cause. Turkey's secular Government had recognized Israel. Turkey after World War II was prmarily concerned about Soviet expansionism. And they had a vulnerable eastern border with the Soviet Union. Thus they joined NATO and became a strong U.S. ally in the Cold War, essentially NATO's southern ancor. This allowed the Turkish military to obtain U.S. miklitary assistance and U.S. backing in the case of any Soviet threat. The Sovies at the time were developing close relations with two neighboring Arab states (Iraq and Syria) which surrounded half of the country. The Turks since World War I, had been wary of the Arabs. Turkish officials saw the Arabs and Soviet Communism as their biggest security threat. The Palestinians for their part could not understand this because for them, Israel was the only real concern.

1977

1978

Israel (March)

Nine Al Fatah Palestinian from Lebanon skirt Israei border defense and conduct a seaborne raid, landing in Israel and hijacking a bus (March 11), They kill 26 civilians and wound 70 others. Israeli security forces kill all the terroriyts. This was the final incident in promting thecIsraeis to invade southern Lebanon--Operation Litani.

Btitain (August)

Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine terrorists ambush an El Al crew bus and kill a stewardess outside the Europa Hotel in London (August 20).

1979

Iran (November)

Iranian radicals seize the US Embassy in Tehran, taking 26 American diplomats hostage in flagrant violation of internatinal law (November 4). An Americam rescue mission led by the Delta Force counter terrorist failed in the Iranian Desert (April 25, 1980). A Marine Corps CH-53 helicopter crashed into a USAF C-130 transport aircraft at a forward refueling site in central Iran, killing 8 Americans and injuring 5 more. The crisis continues until 20 January 20, 1981 when the hostages were through diplomatic negitiations.

Saudi Arabia (November)

A group of 200 fundamentalist Islamic terrorists seized the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, taking hundreds of pilgrims hostage (November 20). Saudi and French security forces retake the Islamic world's most holy shrine after a sarp fire fight. The death toll included 50 people killed and 600 wounded.

Created: 7:42 AM 8/9/2012
Last updated: 1:54 PM 8/11/2018