"A strong correlation exists between unemployment, tough economic conditions and the nature of suicide attacks carried out by Palestinians in recent years, according to a new study, the first comprehensive research of its kind.
The study, conducted by the Harry S. Truman Institute for the Advancement of Peace, found that while poverty itself did not necessarily dictate the frequency of terrorist attacks, economic conditions were closely linked to the characteristics of the perpetrators and, more interestingly, the nature of the suicide operations themselves.
The study analyzed the personal, educational and economic backgrounds of 157 Palestinians who carried out suicide attacks between 2000 and 2006, including those whose operations failed. It is hoped that the analysis can help authorities consider economic improvement as an effective counter-terrorism method, as opposed to only traditional security measures and crackdowns, the study's authors said.
Unemployment won't automatically produce suicide attackers, but it does have an impact on the kind of people willing to undertake them, the study found, and this in turn influences the nature of the attacks, their impact and consequences.
The study analyzed the personal, educational and economic backgrounds of 157 Palestinians who carried out suicide attacks between 2000 and 2006, including those whose operations failed. It is hoped that the analysis can help authorities consider economic improvement as an effective counter-terrorism method, as opposed to only traditional security measures and crackdowns, the study's authors said.
Unemployment won't automatically produce suicide attackers, but it does have an impact on the kind of people willing to undertake them, the study found, and this in turn influences the nature of the attacks, their impact and consequences.
A 5 percentage point increase in the unemployment rate was shown to increase the probability that the attacker would have some academic background and would previously have been involved in some kind of militant activity. The higher jobless rate was also likely to increase the chance that the attacker would target a city with a population of more than 50,000, according to the research.
In other words, the higher the unemployment rate, the more mature, educated and experienced the people who join the potential reservoir of would-be suicide attackers, the study found. And this allows recruiters to be more choosy, handpicking only the most suitable candidates."
In other words, the higher the unemployment rate, the more mature, educated and experienced the people who join the potential reservoir of would-be suicide attackers, the study found. And this allows recruiters to be more choosy, handpicking only the most suitable candidates."
