The report, named “Internal Security vs. Terror Threats” is an official publication of the French government. The report says that “since Europe is closer and more accessible to the Middle East than the United States, it serves as an alternative to anyone seeking to attack the “distant enemy.” Europe contains a variety of appropriate targets, some of which are connected with the United States and with Israel, and a strike on one or more of these targets would draw huge international attention.”

In addition, the report says, Europe has a large population of Muslim immigrants which creates an area where there is direct contact with the conflict areas.

The report also says that “some of the conflicts in the Middle East are mentioned extensively in the rhetoric uttered by the Islamist terrorists. However, the resolution of these conflicts would have no effect on ending global terror, which is functionally disconnected from these conflicts.”

Sources in Israel have attributed great importance to this report and the that it separates the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, along with other conflicts in the Middle East such as the situation in Iraq, from the phenomenon of global terrorism. This distinction in the report is important, they say, mainly because there are many in Europe and around the world who believe that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is at the root of global terrorism, and once that conflict is resolved, global terror will end.