September 11 was a turning point in my professional life, as I took part in the first debate held on Arab television about the incident. The debate, which lasted for 2 hours, aired on Al Jazeera channel, on September 18, 2001. I was debating several radicals, including Bin Laden’s assistant who spoke from Afghanistan. As they reveled in what happened to the US, I confronted them about the danger that Islamic extremism posed to the world. In the aftermath, and for more than two decades, I participated in hundreds of debates on Arab satellite channels, about Islamic extremism and the global war on terrorism. I did, and still do, my best to be a voice for the victims of this heinous terrorism.
On October 7, a message from a friend in Cairo woke me up, alerting me to what happened in Israel. It didn’t take me long to realize that we were facing events that bore many similarities to September 11. Thus, I would like to reflect on the most significant parallels between September 11 and October 7:
I. Both Attacks Were the Product of a Religious Islamic Ideology Hostile to Jews and Christians
In preparation for September 11, Al-Qaeda had established the World Islamic Front for Jihad against Jews and Christians/Crusaders. The perpetrators of the terrorist attack on October 7 belong to a broad alliance sharing an ideology clearly hostile to Jews and Christians.
Hamas’ charter calls for the liberation of Palestine from the River to the Sea, i.e., the total removal of Jews from the region. It even instructs Muslims that the annihilation of Jews is a divine promise.
As for Iran, its slogan since 1979 has been Death to America and Death to Israel. Iranian officials have signaled dozens of times the desire to eradicate Israel. In fact, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has called for the elimination of the “Zionist entity,” in his eulogy for Hassan Nasrallah.
As for the Houthis, their slogan is Death to America, Death to Israel, and Curse on the Jews.
This doctrine doesn’t make a distinction between Judaism and Jews, nor between Christianity and Christians. It essentially wages a religious war on Judaism and Christianity, and consequently on Jews and Christians, with Islamist jihad serving as a mobilization device.
II. Both Were Horrific Terrorist Acts.
September 11 is the largest terrorist attack against civilians in US history.
October 7 is the largest terrorist attack against civilians in the history of Israel, and the most horrific against Jews since the Holocaust.
Former CIA Director and retired US General David H. Petraeus pointed out that, in comparison, the October 7 attack on Israel killed a far greater proportion of its much smaller population, which would be the equivalent of the US having experienced over 40,000 losses, and 7,000 abductions all at once.
Both operations were particularly ruthless because they targeted, deliberately killed, and even boasted about killing, innocent civilians. To make matters worse, they were born out of a religious legitimacy that justified killing those civilians.
III. Both Conveyed a Vehement Assault on Civilization and Progress
Americans have famously wondered, “Why do they hate us?” Contempt and resentment of progress and prosperity is one of the reasons for this animosity against the US and Israel. The jihadist ideology is fueling the fires of hatred, and when that is combined with a failure to compete with the US and Israel, the result is a raging and obsessive desire to destroy them both.
IV. Both Led to a Difficult and Complex War
After September 11, a global war on terrorism broke out and lasted for two decades, the longest since the Cold War. It was a complex, widespread, and costly war.
After October 7, the Gaza war broke out, then the war on Hezbollah—a multifaceted war against Iran’s actors in the Middle East, which has turned into a wider, regional war.
The global war on terrorism required an international coalition. Likewise, the war against Iran and its proxies requires a broad Western coalition, not just in support of Israel, but because Iran and its terrorist proxies pose a threat to the Western world.
V. Both Aimed to Destroy the Nation
September 11 aimed to ruin America’s image as a superpower that triumphed in the Cold War, strike the nation’s economic, military and political symbols, destroy its status, as well as stop the momentum of globalization led by the US.
The goal of October 7 was to annihilate the State of Israel, or at least to take the first step towards destroying Israel. I have watched hundreds of Arab political analysts predict the end of Israel after October 7. Short of that, the attack aimed to stop the momentum of normalization, and the Abraham Accords between the Gulf States and Israel, especially with Saudi Arabia.
VI. Both Were Met with Similar Reactions in the Arab Street
I followed the reactions of the Arab street to the two attacks, and they can be summarized in three words: jubilation; justification; skepticism and conspiracy theories. However, I can confirm that the feelings of joyful vindication in the Arab street in the first few days after October 7 were much greater than what was witnessed following September 11.
As for justification, September 11 was justified as a strike against American arrogance and hegemony, while the slaughter of civilians on October 7 was viewed as a necessary form of resistance to Israeli occupation, to liberate historical Palestine from the River to the Sea.
Conspiracy theories were much more prevalent in regard to September 11. A great number of Arabs believe, till now, that the Deep State in America carried out the attack. October 7 had its own share of conspiracy theories as well, for instance:
It was a collaboration between Israel and Hamas.
Israel had full knowledge of the attack and let it unfold to put an end to the Palestinian cause.
Netanyahu greenlighted the operation, to save himself politically.
Hamas’ leader, Yahya Sinwar, is a Mossad agent, and they trained him to carry out the attack, aiming to destroy Gaza and Palestine.
Israel had full knowledge of the attack and let it unfold in order to seize the Gaza port and the natural gas off the coast of Gaza.
These conspiracy theories remain popular, even though Al-Qaeda and Hamas, respectively, proudly claimed responsibility for the attacks.
VII. Both Tested the Nation’s Inner Strength
September 11 and October 7 are hauntingly etched in the history of the United States, and the history of Israel, respectively. The attacks challenged and tested the spirit of each nation, but ultimately brought out the best in them, revealing their strength, resilience and unity, and their determination to:
Achieve victory and put an end to this terrorist threat.
Stop this from ever happening again.
Achieve a superior level of security and safety.
Remain defiant and focused on rebuilding. Therefore, the United States built the Freedom Tower in place of the World Trade Center, with more advanced technology; as well as a memorial to the victims of September 11. I am confident that, in time, Israel will build a memorial to the victims of October 7, and to the soldiers who were killed during this existential war.
VIII. A Day that Changed the World and a Day that Changed the Middle East
September 11 is recognized as a day that changed the world, and October 7 will be recognized as a day that changed the Middle East. Chronologists look at September 11 as landmark in the history of the world, and I think the same will apply to October 7 in regard to the Middle East.
IX. Overwhelming and Excessive Force Being the Only Viable Response
After September 11, there was no way to deal with Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and Islamist terrorism, except by using overwhelming, excessive and devastating force.
After October 7, there was no way to deal with Hamas and Hezbollah, except by using overwhelming, excessive and devastating force.
These bloodthirsty radical organizations, which pride themselves on killing innocent civilians, believe that war is a zero-sum game, leaving us no option but to use excessive military force to defeat them.
X. Defining Victory over Terrorist Organizations in Both Cases
This type of war should not be evaluated based on the traditional criteria of victory and defeat, but from the perspective of threat reduction and goal achievement. In my opinion, the United States has successfully achieved this during the global war on terrorism, and as a result it is now in a more secure position.
Israel would also benefit from defining victory along the same vein, with a focus on:
Administering painful blows to the military structure of these terrorist organizations.
Killing most of the senior leaders.
Security and intelligence vigilance.
Thwarting future threats.
As we know, Islamist jihadist ideology is akin to a hydra (Greek mythical serpent with multiple heads), so whenever you cut off one head, another emerges. Therefore, the purpose of the war is to cut off the active heads of this form of terrorism, rather than eliminate the ideology.
The overall effects of what happened on September 11 and October 7 will not be totally revealed for quite some time. The dangerous hostility in the Arab and Islamic worlds towards the United States and Israel will sadly continue, even if radical Islamist organizations are weakened, this profound animosity will likely outlive them.
Yes, they do hate us. Spurred on by a misguided and bloodthirsty radical doctrine, they will continue to despise the West, hate Jews and Christians, obsess over the US and Israel, and harbor delusional fantasies about destroying the Western world and eradicating Israel.
This, unfortunately, is the painful truth.
Magdi Khalil is a fellow at the Ideological Defense Institute.
Magdi Khalil is a fellow at the Ideological Defense Institute.
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both were hoaxes?