2026/02/23 by Roger D. Petersen · 1 voice · 1 citation
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #Jewish and Middle Eastern Studies #Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Political Violence #War, Ethics, and Justification
paper · pdf · doi:10.1017/eis.2026.10052
openalex publication_date 2026/02/23 · openalex created_date 2026/02/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/28
Abstract This article explores how emotions can affect policies of hostage rescue and recovery. Any hostage rescue/recovery strategy must consider the relative weights of at least three major goals: 1) maximising chance of recovering/rescuing the hostages; 2) punishment of the kidnappers; and 3) avoidance of collateral damage and killing of bystanders. This article will show how an understanding of emotion can help explain why one of these goals comes to dominate another, why one goal fades in importance. The article will argue that a specific combination of two emotions – anger and contempt – drives the elevation of the punishment goal above that of maximising chances of hostage recovery while also greatly diminishing any value of collateral damage avoidance. The article considers these issues with a short case study of hostage taking at Attica Prison in 1971, which serves as a link to the main case – Israel’s post–October 7 hostage policy towards Gaza.