Bishara examines how terrorism is defined and politically applied, arguing that definitions often focus unfairly on who commits violence rather than who is targeted. He proposes a consistent definition centered on politically motivated violence against civilians, whether committed by states or non-state actors.
Bishara challenges the assumption that terrorism is defined by who commits violence—especially the common idea that terrorism is something committed primarily by non-state or Islamist groups.
He argues that this produces political double standards: resistance against soldiers can be called terrorism while state violence against civilians is excluded; Muslim perpetrators can be understood through their religion while others are treated as individuals; and governments can place themselves in the “counterterrorist” camp despite harming civilians.
Instead, Bishara proposes a consistent standard: **terrorism is politically motivated violence deliberately directed against civilians or civilian/public facilities.**⭐
Under this definition, both states and non-state groups can commit terrorism, while violence against military or security forces is not automatically terrorism.
He also shows that understanding the political and social conditions behind terrorism does not excuse it—and that counterterrorism which collectively punishes civilians may actually reproduce the grievances that sustain further violence.