Counter-Suicide-Terrorism: Evidence from House Demolitions

36 Pages Posted: 1 Nov 2010 Last revised: 25 Jan 2023

See all articles by Efraim Benmelech

Efraim Benmelech

Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Claude Berrebi

Hebrew University of Jerusalem - School of Public Policy; Hebrew University - School of Public Policy ; Princeton University; UCLA; RAND Corporation; Taub Center

Esteban F. Klor

Hebrew University of Jerusalem - Department of Economics; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: October 2010

Abstract

This paper examines whether house demolitions are an effective counterterrorism tactic against suicide terrorism. We link original longitudinal micro-level data on houses demolished by the Israeli Defense Forces with data on the universe of suicide attacks against Israeli targets. By exploiting spatial and time variation in house demolitions and suicide terror attacks during the second Palestinian uprising, we show that punitive house demolitions (those targeting Palestinian suicide terrorists and terror operatives) cause an immediate, significant decrease in the number of suicide attacks. The effect dissipates over time and by geographic distance. In contrast, we observe that precautionary house demolitions (demolitions justified by the location of the house but not related to the identity or any action of the house's owner) cause a significant increase in the number of suicide terror attacks. The results are consistent with the view that selective violence is an effective tool to combat terrorist groups, whereas indiscriminate violence backfires.

Suggested Citation

Benmelech, Efraim and Berrebi, Claude and Klor, Esteban F., Counter-Suicide-Terrorism: Evidence from House Demolitions (October 2010). NBER Working Paper No. w16493, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1699570

Efraim Benmelech (Contact Author)

Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management ( email )

Evanston, IL 60208
United States

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) ( email )

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Cambridge, MA 02138
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Claude Berrebi

Hebrew University of Jerusalem - School of Public Policy ( email )

Jerusalem, 91905
Israel
+97225880151 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://https://en.public-policy.huji.ac.il/people/claude-berrebi

Hebrew University - School of Public Policy ( email )

Jerusalem, 91905
Israel
+97225880151 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://https://en.public-policy.huji.ac.il/people/claude-berrebi

Princeton University ( email )

Woodrow Wilson School
Public and International Affairs
Princeton, NJ 08544
United States
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HOME PAGE: http://wws.princeton.edu/sites/default/files/person/cvfiles/CV-20190101-HU-Princeton.pdf

UCLA ( email )

Box 951477
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HOME PAGE: http://www.econ.ucla.edu/people/Faculty/Berrebi.html

RAND Corporation ( email )

Santa Monica, CA
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HOME PAGE: http://https://www.rand.org/pubs/authors/b/berrebi_claude.html

Taub Center ( email )

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Jerusalem
Israel

HOME PAGE: http://dev.taubcenter.org.il/claude-berrebi/

Esteban F. Klor

Hebrew University of Jerusalem - Department of Economics ( email )

Mount Scopus
Jerusalem, 91905
Israel
+972 2 588 3143 (Phone)
+972 2 581 6071 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://economics.huji.ac.il/facultye/klor/klor.htm

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) ( email )

London
United Kingdom

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