Understandings of Israeli geopolitical identity have traditionally revolved around core themes which have only rarely been deeply questioned. This has left other identitarian dimensions, some which...Show moreUnderstandings of Israeli geopolitical identity have traditionally revolved around core themes which have only rarely been deeply questioned. This has left other identitarian dimensions, some which have recently emerged, undeservedly unexplored. Literature on the topic largely focuses on Israel’s historic Jewish and Western identity dimensions in within the frames pertaining to Israeli domestic affairs, such as the Mizrahi-Ashkenazi divide, or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This thesis questions these traditional understandings and attempts to reveal other alternatives, by examining the multidimensionality of Israel’s geopolitical identity in the frame of the emerging US-China polarity. The issue of Israel’s geopolitical identity essentially concerns the question of the way Israel perceives itself and its geopolitical positioning in the global system. As constructed geopolitical ‘realities’, these conceptions are oversimplifications of a much more complex reality. By analyzing Israeli elite discourse in the US-China frame, the following dissertation shows how alternative identitarian dimensions have emerged, whilst some traditional dimensions have endured through elite discourse in Israel. The research aims to broaden the discussion surrounding Israel’s geopolitical identity in the 21st century.Show less
This thesis analyzes the motives behind the hesitation of the American military interference in Syria to overthrow President Bashar al Assad. It provides a close focus on the role of global and...Show moreThis thesis analyzes the motives behind the hesitation of the American military interference in Syria to overthrow President Bashar al Assad. It provides a close focus on the role of global and regional actors in Syria. The research question of this paper is: What explains the hesitancy of the US involvement in the Syrian War? The research is focused on the red-line speech of President Obama to intervene in Syria and the following chemical weapon attack in Damascus. This study provides significant insight into the political relations between the US and Syria as well as the Syrian civil war. Many academic pieces of literature have been examined to combine valuable information about the power dynamics in the Middle East and their impact on the Syrian civil war. As a result, it is concluded that there are multiple causes behind the hesitancy of the US military intervention in Syria. These are listed as, the vetoes of Russia and China in the UN Security Council, the concern of non-ending regional war, the economic, political and humanitarian costs of the war, the emergence of the radical groups and the absence of strong secular opposition, the concern of state of chaos after the intervention, minor factors like difficult geography, population and the advanced air defense of SyriaShow less
The aim of this study is to find out how the occupation in the West Bank is maintained by Israel, the Palestinian Authority, its capitalist class and the aid agencies with its donors. Hereby, the...Show moreThe aim of this study is to find out how the occupation in the West Bank is maintained by Israel, the Palestinian Authority, its capitalist class and the aid agencies with its donors. Hereby, the focus set upon the question what the neoliberal economic policies in the West Bank are and how they play a role in the occupation of it. To answer this question, the thesis will explore the policies of both Israel and the Palestinian Authority next to the policies that are promoted in the West Bank by aid agencies and international donors. Israel’s neoliberal economic policies will be explained through its economic interests in the West Bank, such as land, labour, water and market. Furthermore, the study will look into the neoliberal economic policies of the Palestinian Authority and how the Palestinian capitalist class has been created through these policies. Lastly, the study will highlight the role of international donors and aid agencies in the West Bank and the means in which they apply their influence to promote neoliberal economic policies that sustain the occupation of the West Bank. The study will show that the neoliberal economic policies in the West Bank contribute to its occupation and its dependency on the Israeli economy and international aid. However, not only Israel profits from the occupation, but also the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian elite through their cooperation with Israel.Show less
In this thesis the influence of the Israel lobby group on the relationship between Israel and the United States is examined. subsequently, the dependency of Israel on the US is analysed, as this...Show moreIn this thesis the influence of the Israel lobby group on the relationship between Israel and the United States is examined. subsequently, the dependency of Israel on the US is analysed, as this will correlate with the influence of the Israel lobby group.Show less
An analysis of the emotive portrayal of Dutch-Israeli relations by Dutch scholarship, looking at three case studies between the years 1979-1982 to see if there is sufficient empirical evidence for...Show moreAn analysis of the emotive portrayal of Dutch-Israeli relations by Dutch scholarship, looking at three case studies between the years 1979-1982 to see if there is sufficient empirical evidence for this emotive portrayal in academic studies.Show less
The last ten years Israel has seen a huge increase in the number of religious women enlisting to the army. This thesis will describe the media discourse regarding the recruitment of religious girls...Show moreThe last ten years Israel has seen a huge increase in the number of religious women enlisting to the army. This thesis will describe the media discourse regarding the recruitment of religious girls in the IDF (Israeli Defense Force) between 2009 and 2018.Show less
