Dealing with a fame-hungry enemy places the soldiers in a delicate situation in which they are required to control the terrorist and prevent the terrorist from controlling them. “There is a complex psychological aspect that we, as commanders, need to take into consideration,” said Capt. A. “For instance, a terrorist might negotiate with us and pose an ultimatum but then change his mind, even if we decide to cooperate with his demands. He might not be willing to negotiate at all. It depends on the terrorist’s character and his objective. Either way, the commanders need to have a skill set that will allow them to deal with all of these situations.”
When human lives are at stake and time is of the essence, one of the main challenges is prioritizing. Attention has to be divided between the hostages, the terrorists, and collaboration with other forces. “It is important to keep in mind that your goal is to minimize damage and find the most effective solution with the manpower and means available,” said Capt. A. “Throughout our entire service, we train and prepare for multiple scenarios. We don’t want anything to happen, but when it does, we carry out the mission with a sense of purpose. We do everything we can to protect civilian lives.”
Source: Israeli Defense Forces blog
