This essay examines the new civilian protest movement formed in the western Negev during Operation Protective Edge, and its implications for the political security discourse at the local and national level in Israel. Although this social movement arose out of a local security hardship, its activity is relevant to the country as a whole; the movement challenges the “rounds approach” that has emerged in recent years as the prevalent pattern of action in the context of the Israel-Hamas conflict. The movement tries to convey the message...
Casualties first appeared on the public, political-military, and media agenda in the democratic, Western world in the 1990s. This article seeks to examine the Israeli media’s coverage of military casualties during Operation Protective Edge, especially in light of past patterns of reporting. Despite the public feeling that the operation was necessary, coverage did not totally revert to “traditional” patterns. During the case in point, the media dealt with causalities and the human price paid in war; however, it tried consciously to...
Three rounds of violence between Israel and Hamas since 2008 have not resulted in any change to the fundamental essence of the conflict. Israel is trapped in an asymmetrical conflict with increasingly intense violence, a reality in which Hamas manages to prove the “Paradox of Power”: Israel’s military strength becomes its weakness while Hamas’ military weakness becomes its strength. Seeing Gaza as a state-like entity and declaring war on it may help alter public opinion, allowing for definition of clear goals and less engagement in...
In late 2014, the Israeli domestic picture changed dramatically as a result of the disbanding of Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government and the Knesset’s decision to dissolve itself and hold general elections on March 17, 2015. Early elections prior to the conclusion of the Knesset’s legal term in office is nothing new in Israel and is actually typical of the past two decades. The forthcoming early elections, however, constitute a particularly unusual phenomenon on the Israeli political landscape, as the dissolution of the Knesset...
This article examines three options for Israel regarding the reconstruction of Gaza. None of these options are optimal for Israel, as they do not guarantee a long term lull in hostilities – although two have the advantage of including a political initiative, which could extricate Israel from its international isolation and facilitate a breakthrough in the political deadlock. Nonetheless, it seems that at this stage, the option of Israeli efforts to help rebuild the Gaza Strip and improve the living conditions of the population is the...
