Ophir Falks book bridges the gap between legality and efficiency; between academia and practice; regarding the use of targeted killings against terrorists. He provides an excellent review of the effectiveness of targeted killings to mitigate suicide terrorism in Israel during the first decade of the 21st century. Dr. Falks book should be read by all decision-makers, military leaders, experts and students who seek to better understand the use of targeted killings in countering terrorism.
Professor Boaz Ganor, Founder and Executive Director of The International Institute for Counter-Terrorism and Ronald S. Lauder Chair, The Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, Israel
In this thoughtful and well researched book, Falk provides an important service to policy makers of democratic nations who are called upon to combat terrorism while preserving freedom. As an attorney and former counterterrorism combatant, I find this book to be a beacon of light amidst the moral fog that at times engulfs leaders when faced with the paramount task of confronting terrorism.
Joseph Asch, Former Head of Criminal Division at Israels State Attorneys Office and Major (Res.) in the IDFs elite naval commandos (S-13)
Ophir Falk takes on the vexing topic of the effectiveness of targeted killing as a military tactic, employed by democracies against terrorists, specifically in the Israeli setting in the early 21st century. His analysis is presented to the reader within the construct of the Law of Armed Conflict and Just War Theory [] Technology is predictably and quickly advancing; tools and techniques available to terrorists, and the governments who face off against them, are correspondingly more widely available and increasing in their scope and lethality. Dr. Falks thinking on the profound issue of whether, how, and when it may be permissible to take life in the counter-terrorism setting -- and, if so, on its effectiveness -- is thus more important now than ever before.
Karl Wagner, Founder and CEO of Eastern Sky Technologies and former Senior National Security Executive (ret.)
Targeted Killings, Law and Counter-Terrorism Effectiveness
This book examines the permissibility and effectiveness of targeted killing in campaigns against terror.
Targeted killing has become a primary counterterrorism measure used by several countries in their confrontation with lethal threats. The practice has been extensively used by the US in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia, and by Israel in the West Bank and Gaza. Several studies have already explored the difficult balance between achieving security while maintaining the liberties and rights of a countrys civilians. This book goes a step further by seeking to examine whether maintaining those liberties by complying with legal standards and minimizing unintended deaths can be more effective for national security.
Using targeted killing applied by Israel, in particular, as well as the United States during the first decade of the twenty-first century as case studies, this book explores that question and ultimately assesses whether compliance with legal standards can strengthen a state in its campaign against terrorism and thus provide stronger security. The book focuses on civilian-related criteria, hypothesizing that minimizing civilian casualties will maximize effectiveness in an asymmetric war setting. The conclusions are not limited to a specific tactic or theater, and if adopted might have far-reaching implications for how asymmetric warfare is strategized.
This book will be of much interest to students of counter-terrorism, law, Middle Eastern studies, and security studies.
Ophir Falk is a licensed lawyer and a research fellow at the International Institute of Counter Terrorism (ICT) in Herzliya, Israel. He has degrees from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Manchester University, a PhD from Haifa University and was a research scholar at Georgetown University, USA.
Contemporary Security Studies
Series Editors: James Gow and Rachel Kerr, Kings College London
This series focuses on new research across the spectrum of international peace and security, in an era where each year throws up multiple examples of conflicts that present new security challenges in the world around them
Power Relations in the Twenty-First Century
Mapping a Multipolar World?
Edited by Donette Murray and David Brown
Deterring Russia in Europe
Defence Strategies for Neighbouring States
Edited by Nora Vanaga and Toms Rostoks
British Defence in the 21st Century
John Louth and Trevor Taylor
Cultures of Counterterrorism
French and Italian Responses to Terrorism after 9/11
Silvia DAmto
Russian Imperialism Revisited
From Disengagement to Hegemony
Domitilla Sagramoso
Targeted Killings, Law and Counter-Terrorism Effectiveness
Does Fair Play Pay Off?
Ophir Falk
Impact in International Affairs
The Quest for World-Leading Research
James Gow and Henry Redwood
For more information about this series, please visit: https://www.routledge.com/Contemporary-Security-Studies/book-series/CSS
First published 2021
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
2021 Ophir Falk
The right of Ophir Falk to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Falk, Ophir, 1968- author.
Title: Targeted killings, law and counter-terrorism effectiveness : does fair play pay off? / Ophir Falk.
Description: Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY : Routledge, 2020. | Series: Contemporary security studies | Based on authors thesis (doctoral - University of Haifa, School of Political Sciences, 2017) issued under title: Effective countermeasures : the correlation of legality, morality and effectiveness targeted killing as case of study. | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2020007163 (print) | LCCN 2020007164 (ebook) | ISBN 9780367339265 (hardback) | ISBN 9780367505967 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Targeted killing (International law) | Terrorism--Prevention--Evaluation. | Targeted killing--Israel--Evaluation. | Targeted killing--United States--Evaluation.
Classification: LCC KZ6373.2 . F35 2020 (print) | LCC KZ6373.2 (ebook) | DDC 344.05/32516--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020007163
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020007164
ISBN: 978-0-367-33926-5 (hbk)
