The Israel Defense Forces and the Al-Aqsa Intifada: When Tactical Virtuosity Meets Strategic Disappointment

Abstract

The following paper analyzes the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) counter-insurgency strategy and campaign carried out against the Palestinian insurgency within the Occupied/Disputed Territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip during the Al-Aqsa Intifada (2000-2005). It provides a detailed examination of the tactics, operations and strategic effect that actions carried out by the Israel Defense Forces had on the overall conflict dynamic of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The paper argues that while the IDF was able to achieve quite significant tactical innovation and success, the overall strategic result of Israel’s counter-insurgency campaign during the Al-Aqsa Intifada was a stalemate rather than ‘victory’ given that, in effect, clear political goals and direction were lacking during the conflict.