Collective Punishment and Collective Rewards

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
1

According to Reuters, “Israel on Friday destroyed the family homes of two Palestinian militants held responsible for the killings of at least 17 Israelis, pursuing a policy meant to deter violence but condemned by human rights groups.”
http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=worldnews&StoryID=1338559

According to info posted in another thread, “A Palestinian group that handles the distribution of money to bereaved families says Saddam has sent at least $30 million in cash to support the families of Palestinian men killed since the uprising began in September 2000.”
(See "Palestinians Hold Pro-Saddam Rally ")

Now Israel’s policy (whether in violation of international law or not) is clearly designed to send a message to would-be suicide bombers and terrorists that their families will suffer for planning and carrying out attacks.

Saddam’s policy is clearly designed to send a message to would-be suicide bombers that if they attack Israel, their families will be financially rewarded.

Both policies are therefore designed to affect conduct of Palestinians. A couple of questions:

  1. Do you think either of these policies actually affect conduct of Palestinians in the way that either Israel or Saddam want?

  2. Can either policy be justified and, if so, under what theory?

  3. Can one policy be justified without also necessarily justifying the opposing policy? In other words, can you justify rewarding a family for the acts of one member while not also providing the logical basis for punishing a family for the acts of one member?

2

Collective punishment is a terrible idea. It is not helpful; it creates more problems than it intends to solve. Israel needs to be reprimanded by the global community more than it is being reprimanded now for such inhumane practices. By destroying homes of the criminals, Israel is infact legitimizing attacks on its own civilians. It is a shameful practice.

Go after the terrorists, but not after babies and innocent Palestinians who have nothing to do with all of this.

Saddam’s policy is equally bad. In theory, at least, those who commit suicide are not motivated by Saddam’s money, but by hatred.

3

Another angle is that the suicide bombers are going for it anyway and the loss to the family is compensated by other governments, not just Iraq. The UN and the EU build and rebuild Palestine and Israel and the US tear it down after counterattacks by the Palestinians. The major actions of the Palestinians are in reaction to events. Targeting civilians and all of Israel's bad behavior.