Employing digital diplomacy in foreign policy: Israel as a model ‫

Abstract

Objectives:  Public diplomacy is one of the most important elements of soft power that states use to promote their values and ideas. Interest in the research and academic circles, as well as in official policy circles, has increased in the field of public diplomacy

The term "digital diplomacy" does not have a specific definition, but its main goal is to be "a way out of foreign policy problems using the Internet by communicating with the public directly without barriers

Digital diplomacy" as a solution to foreign policy problems using the Internet, or it is one of the uses of the Internet and information technology to achieve and implement the foreign policy goals of any country There are a number of goals that the use of "digital diplomacy" can achieve  Being a source of information Take advantage of the massive flow of information in policymaking that allows for the prediction of social and political movements imminent, Open intelligence sources

Methodology/Approach: The study adopts an analytical, inductive approach that relies on uncovering facts by starting from the details, then proceeds gradually to laws, general rules, and the college, where the parts of the conceptual framework of Israeli digital diplomacy will be examined.

As the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has a team of ten members producing Arabic content for two Facebook pages (stand with us in Arabic, Israel speaks Arabic, Israel in Arabic, Israel Channel with the Heart, Israel Group in Arabic, Israel News in Arabic), Israel lovers from the Maghreb, the Middle East and Israel Jordan. etc.

These sites are supervised by the Department of Digital Diplomacy in Arabic - the second largest division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - to promote Israeli life and culture

At the same time we explained the challenges that stand in the way of achieving comprehensive Arab-Israeli normalization, and the recent scene in the adoption of Israeli foreign policy in the future on the concept of digital diplomacy as a strategy to confront the challenges that hinder the achievement of comprehensive Arab-Israeli normalization

Results:  Our research treatment of the issue of the impact of employing digital diplomacy on Israeli foreign policy as one of the main drivers of the implementation of Israeli foreign policy

An objective analysis was carried out accompanied by a scientific study and logical conclusions based on the method of analysis away from repetition and verbosity and came out with several conclusions, including the following :

Israel's digital diplomacy rests on a strategic base

Since it is not currently possible to achieve a settlement based on “ending the conflict and ending claims” with the Palestinians on its own terms, it must therefore struggle with the Palestinian veto that has long been in force in Israeli relations. With the rest of the world, especially the Arab countries. According to this doctrine, the more Israel succeeds in establishing health systems in cooperation with leading regional and international powers, the greater the pressure on Palestinian leaders to review their current policies.

Indeed, the strategy of bypassing the Palestinians provided significant gains for Israel. Close relations have been forged with countless countries that previously pursued negative or even hostile policies toward Israel

The end of 2020 resulted in the signing of Israeli normalization and strategic cooperation agreements in various fields with the Arab Gulf states, led by the UAE and Bahrain, while Sudan hastened in the footsteps of the Arab Gulf states to sign normalization. And cooperation agreements with Israel. Many Arab countries are expected to sign in 2021

Conclusions : The Israeli foreign policy has the advantage of being and still is active, and the reason lies in the integration of digital public diplomacy into the decision-making process in the Israeli foreign policy and its implementation

Israel succeeded in establishing health systems in cooperation with leading regional and international powers, with increasing pressure on Palestinian leaders to review their current policies.

Indeed, the strategy of bypassing the Palestinians provided significant gains for Israel. Close relations have been established with countless Arab countries that have previously pursued negative or even hostile policies toward Israel.

More importantly, formal cooperation is expanding with Asian powers such as India, Japan and Vietnam, while informal relations with Indonesia are growing. To some extent, Israel has accomplished its "undeclared axis toward Asia" in the economic and security fields

In Europe, a de facto alliance is emerging with Cyprus and Greece (formerly the biggest critic of Israel in the European Union). A broader cooperation regime applies to natural gas fields in the eastern Mediterranean with Italy and other partners, while friendly diplomatic relations have been established with most countries in Eastern and Central Europe.

And public digital diplomacy is activated by integrating technology linking networks such as "Twitter", "Facebook" and "YouTube" into the professional "tools" for diplomats to serve the goals of their foreign policies

It is important for foreign ministries to deepen their commitment to using this technology, which is the platforms for interactive dialogue. Deepening this commitment is through taking measures, including the establishment of a public digital diplomatic apparatus to develop a comprehensive strategy for it to ensure coordination and clarity between government and semi-government agencies involved in implementing public digital diplomacy. The link between digital public diplomacy goals, means of implementation, and content

Israel will reap the benefits of regional relations from the concessions it made to the Palestinians, and this idea has been on the table since the Saudis proposed the "Arab Peace Initiative" in 2002, which promised to establish full relations with all Arab states (and thus, Islamic countries) in exchange for the illusion of Israel's withdrawal. A continuation of the 1967 borders.

But the agreement with the UAE put the matter in its real size, transforming a hypothetical possibility into a tangible reality.

Given the strength of the Israeli and Emirati economies, boycotts by critics of the Jerusalem-Abu Dhabi partnership will be ineffective and are likely to harm the boycotts more than the targeted victims.

What matters is whether Israeli and Emirati assets - especially symbols of their partnership, such as embassies, joint ventures, airlines, and tourist sites - will become the target of terrorist attacks by Tehran, Ankara, and their local proxies such as Hezbollah and Hamas.

The prospects for Saudi-Israeli normalization will remain a reality in the coming months of 2021

Establishing gradual normalization arrangements with several Arab states appears to be the most likely path for the near-term development of Israeli digital diplomacy to the Arab-Israeli peace process, rather than an impending series of historic agreements similar to the agreement signed by the UAE.

The United States of America can help accelerate the pace of gradual transformation through mediation, sponsorship, or participation in specific initiatives.

Key words : Employing digital diplomacy foreign policy Israel  model

DOI: 10.7176/IAGS/90-05

Publication date: April 30th 2021