Compare and contrast Western and Islamist views of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, 9/11, and the Iraq War

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The ideal answer should include:
a. The West, and in particular the United States, is an ally of Israel and supports Israel in its efforts to defend its borders. An example is the Yom Kippur War in 1973.
b. Since most Palestinians are Muslim, Islamists frame the Palestinian-Israel conflict as an Islam vs. the West conflict.
c. Al Qaeda's attacks on 9/11 were viewed by the West as an act of terrorism that warranted a declaration of war against Al Qaeda. This led to the war against Afghanistan, which the United States believed was linked to Al Qaeda.
d. Islamist groups such as Al Qaeda view terrorism as an effective weapon to destroy the West. The 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon targeted the symbols of Western, in particular American, financial and military power.
e. Governments in the West saw the Iraq War as an extension of the war against terrorism.
f. Since Iraq had not been involved in the 9/11 attacks, Islamist groups viewed the Iraq War as a war against Islam.