Myth: Palestinian terrorism is a justified response to the conditions Israel has imposed on Palestinians

Regardless of the perpetrator, terrorism – the use of violence deliberately directed against civilians, with the aim of killing as many as possible and of spreading psychological fear and despair – is never justified. 

Such attacks by internationally and Canadian-designated terrorist organizations – such as Hamas, which controls Gaza – bring unimaginable fear to Israelis, who live with the knowledge that terrorist suicide bombings, shootings, or stabbings can happen to anybody anywhere – in school, cafés, or city buses – and that, at any moment, they may be forced to flee rocket fire intentionally launched toward them.   

More than that, terror attacks undermine the stability essential to bringing about peace. Since Hamas took over Gaza in a violent coup in 2007, it has launched tens of thousands of rockets targeting Israeli civilians. No country in the world would allow its civilian population to be subjected to terrorist attacks and deny itself its legitimate right and obligation to self-defense.   

If the goal is indeed ultimately peace for all peoples, then violence cannot be the means of achieving it.