Publications

The phenomenon of Israel’s delegitimization in the international arena has persisted for over a decade, and is primarily propagated by civil society activists who have organized transnationally and across borders to isolate Israel internationally. With the aim of gauging this phenomenon in a limited geographic area and timeframe, the current article asks “What are the central milestones in the phenomenon of Israel’s delegitimization as manifested in Europe in 2017?” The article’s central claims are that efforts to delegitimize Israel in Europe characteristically remain in the civil society realm, falling short of penetrating the official European political establishment, and thus, at least to date, have few repercussions on Israel’s diplomatic standing in Europe. The analysis of Israel’s delegitimization in a limited region and during a limited timeframe cannot be generalized to summarize the scope of the phenomenon elsewhere. The methodology adopted in this paper, however, can be a model for future research of other regions to form a cumulative picture and in turn contribute to a fuller comprehension of the phenomenon. The article begins with background regarding the delegitimization phenomenon, followed by an analysis dwelling on major developments pertaining to Israel’s delegitimization and the counter struggle waged against this phenomenon in Europe during 2017. It concludes with a discussion and policy recommendations.