Israel Needs Assertive, Jewish-Centric Diplomacy to Succeed

Many Israeli political parties and research institutes opposing the current government prioritize improving Israel's public diplomacy, or "Hasbara," and blame its failure for the current prime minister's potential ouster. However, the article argues that most politicians and commentators discussing the issue fail to present the necessary assertive messages to fundamentally alter Israel's weak stance over recent decades, possibly due to fear or an inability to recognize the need.

Former Knesset member Dr. Einat Wilf is cited for advocating increased resources for the Foreign Ministry to combat anti-Israel narratives, beyond the NIS 500 million already invested by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar. Wilf's policy proposal includes integrating Israel's "war of consciousness" into national security decision-making, establishing an information and intelligence center for public diplomacy efforts, and using diplomatic, legal, and economic tools against terror supporters. She calls for Israel to shift from a reactive to a proactive stance in public diplomacy, shaping international discourse rather than merely responding to criticism.

While acknowledging these ideas as sound, the article contends that Wilf, despite being a skilled communicator, does not specify the content of this "Hasbara." It argues for a revolutionary shift in Israel's messaging to reflect its new, necessarily assertive strategic and security position, and to reincorporate Jewish faith into its diplomatic toolkit. Similarly, Dr. Pnina Sharvit-Baruch, former head of the IDF's International Law Department, proposes building professional, factual, and legal capabilities to counter accusations and institutional biases against Israel, and adopting differentiated policies for various audiences.

The article criticizes the continued adherence to the "two-state solution" as a recipe for failure, arguing that it ignores the changed diplomatic and security reality since the Oslo Accords' collapse and the 2023 Hamas attack. It asserts that twenty-five years of Oslo-era diplomacy have been ineffective and that Israel must adopt a three-pronged approach. First, public diplomacy must become unequivocally and honestly "Jewish," emphasizing the inalienable rights of Jews in the Land of Israel, including Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria, and presenting Israel as a union of faith, people, and land. Second, Israel must embrace and project its strength, explaining its just and wise use of power against Iran, Islamic Jihad, and Palestinian aspirations to destroy it, and its permanent reshaping of borders without apology. Third, realism and truth must be restored to global discourse, explaining why the two-state idea is suspended, why Palestinians are currently unworthy of statehood, and why the world must abandon the dangerous paradigm of two democratic states living in peace after Israeli concessions.

The article concludes that Israel cannot counter boycotts and sanctions by blurring its defense policy or being timid in its diplomatic messaging. It argues that only a bold, assertive approach reflecting reality will be heard, believed, and endure, drawing a parallel to David Ben-Gurion's statement about the Messianic era, where the wolf lives with the lamb, provided Israel is the wolf.