Yitzhak Rabin’s “Iron Fist” Policy Splits Israelis

Yitzhak Rabin’s “Iron Fist” Policy Splits Israelis

Published in the Chicago Tribune during the First Intifada, this article presents the mixed Israeli response to then-Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin’s orders to respond to the Palestinian uprising with an Iron Fist policy of “force, strength and blows.” While many IDF soldiers saw the policy as a state-sanctioned way to release their anti-Arab sentiments and frustration, others felt confused, uncomfortable and appalled, some going as far as to refuse to carry out the orders. The article also discusses the political and civilian responses to this policy, focusing on the opposition of the left-wing Peace Now organization.