While Israel has historically been regarded as a close ally of the United States—sharing democratic values, intelligence cooperation, and defense partnerships—certain individuals of Arab “Palestinian” origin or ideological affiliation have been involved in acts of violence against Americans. This article provides a factual overview of documented incidents that have shaped this complex relationship.
1. Sirhan Sirhan and the Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy (1968)
Background: Sirhan Bishara Sirhan, a Palestinian IslamoChristian born in Jerusalem in 1944, moved with his family to the United States in 1956.[1]
Defense : The ex Grand Mufti of Jerusalem dispatched two Arab lawyers to defend Sirhan. One was infamous neo Nazi propagandist, Holocaust denier Issa Nakhleh.[2]
Assassination: On June 5, 1968—exactly one year after the outbreak of the Six-Day War—Sirhan fatally shot Senator Robert F. Kennedy in Los Angeles.[1][3]
Motivation: He wrote, “My determination to eliminate R.F.K. is becoming … an unshakable obsession… Kennedy must die before June 5th.”[4]
Upon arrest, Sirhan reportedly stated: “I can explain it. I did it for my country,” implying action on behalf of Palestine.[5]
Multiple scholarly and journalistic sources describe this as one of the first highly visible incidents in the U.S. motivated by the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.[6][7]
2. Yasser Arafat and the Khartoum Killings (1973)
In March 1973, operatives from the Black September Organization—a faction linked to Fatah—carried out a terrorist attack at the Saudi Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan. They killed U.S. Ambassador Cleo A. Noel Jr., Deputy Chief of Mission George Curtis Moore, and Belgian diplomat Gérard Daudet.[8]
Declassified documents from the U.S. State Department explicitly state: “The Khartoum operation was planned and carried out with the full knowledge and personal approval of Yasser Arafat.”[8]
3. 1973 NYC car bomb plot
Khalid Duhham al-Jawary, of Palestinian origin, planted bombs in New York rental cars targeting Israeli sites. The bombs failed to detonate; he was later convicted and served time.[9]
4. Nidal Ayyad and the 1993 World Trade Center Bombing
Nidal Ayyad, born in Kuwait in 1968 to Palestinian parents who fled following the Six-Day War, later immigrated to the United States and became a naturalized citizen. He worked as a chemical engineer after earning a degree from Rutgers University.[10]
Ayyad was among the conspirators in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, serving a lengthy prison sentence—originally 240 years, later commuted to 86 years—for his role in planning and executing the attack.[10]
5. Empire State Building shooting (1997)
On February 23 1997, Ali Hassan Abu Kamal, a Palestinian teacher, opened fire on the observation deck, killing one person and wounding six before taking his own life. Motives included anger toward U.S., British, and French support for Israel. [11]
6. Mohammed Haydar Zammar and 9/11 Connections
Mohammed Haydar Zammar is a Syrian-German Islamist militant identified as a recruiter for al-Qaeda and a key figure in attracting several 9/11 hijackers. Over the next decade, Zammar moved through the militant-Islamist circuit, traveling to Afghanistan, volunteering with al-Qaeda-affiliated militants in Bosnia, and visiting London, where he befriended the Jordanian-Palestinian preacher Abu Qatada—long suspected by the U.S. of al-Qaeda links.[12]
Conclusion
Documented historical events demonstrate that some individuals connected to Palestinian identity or extremist networks have perpetrated violence against U.S. targets. These acts stand in stark contrast to the enduring U.S.–Israel strategic partnership. While the vast majority of Palestinians and their representatives pursue peaceful political solutions, these high-profile incidents remain significant moments in the narrative of anti-American terrorism.
Hamas/PIJ declarations (2001–2002) Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad released a manifesto declaring Americans “enemies” and “legitimate targets” alongside Israelis. Discussions online included violent plans against Americans.[13]
U.S. intelligence assessment.
The FBI has assessed that coordinated terrorist attacks on U.S. soil from Palestinian groups remain unlikely; these groups tend to focus on Israelis and regional goals, with U.S. involvement limited largely to fundraising or propaganda activities.[14]
Palestinian Incitement Against the United States
The Palestinian Authority (PA), under the leadership of Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and his advisors, has consistently promoted a narrative that incites hostility not only toward Israel but also against the United States, portraying it as a manipulative force behind regional conflicts. This rhetoric, as documented by Palestinian Media Watch, reveals a deep-seated animosity that aligns with broader Islamist and anti-Western ideologies. Abbas’ advisor, Mahmoud Al-Habbash, has publicly described Israel as a mere tool of American interests, a “glove on the American hand” executing “dirty work” in the Middle East, while accusing the U.S. of being the “main engine behind all the massacres” in the region. Such statements, broadcast on official PA platforms, frame the U.S. as a malevolent imperialist power, fueling anti-American sentiment among Palestinians and undermining any prospect of constructive dialogue or peace. This incitement extends beyond mere criticism, as Abbas himself has resorted to inflammatory language, cursing the U.S. in televised speeches and ridiculing its policies, further entrenching a culture of hatred that destabilizes the region.
This rhetoric is not only baseless but dangerously inflammatory, as it seeks to vilify both Israel and its key ally, the United States, while ignoring the PA’s own role in perpetuating violence and rejecting peace initiatives. The PA’s accusations, such as claiming Israel operates solely under U.S. instructions or that the U.S. seeks to “steal” the Arab world, are steeped in conspiracy theories that echo historical anti-Semitic tropes and anti-Western propaganda. By promoting such narratives, the PA diverts attention from its own governance failures and its documented practice of glorifying terrorism, including paying salaries to convicted terrorists. This incitement undermines Israel’s legitimate security concerns and poisons the minds of Palestinian youth, fostering a cycle of violence rather than coexistence. The United States, as a steadfast supporter of Israel’s right to exist and defend itself, remains a target of this vitriol, which ultimately serves to obstruct peace and perpetuate conflict.[15]
Conservopedia
THE ARTFUL DILETTANTE 