Israel and Apartheid in International Discourse

In recent years it appears that Israel’s image as the only liberal democracy in the Middle East is questioned internationally with increasing frequency. The analogy of Israel to an apartheid state, which is often an inherent part of this discourse, has far reaching repercussions for Israel’s national security. Through the analysis of 137 international press items and 158 UN documents, this article aims to provide concrete data about the Israel-apartheid analogy by proving its existence, defining the period in which it was launched, and tracing its fluctuations over the years.