Israel is one country that is in the news daily. Most of the time the Jewish state garners negative coverage and is criticized even when criticism has no place, and most of the time, this coverage seeks to remind us that while no country is above international law, it is Israel that is below it.
In my pursuit of news from Israel, I recently watched a video of the demolition of 13 buildings illegally erected by Palestinians. The coverage was incredibly one-sided that I was forced to speak up because no one else was doing so satisfactorily.
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Israel often razes Jewish homes allegedly built illegally and more often than not, this appears to be the act of a law-abiding country which us trying to appease the international community, and in turn cheers on with warped moral approval. But when Israel demolishes a Palestinian building – for all the right legal reasons – the international community becomes almost hysterically furious.
In this case, Israel's public diplomacy efforts focused on explaining that the buildings in question did not have the necessary planning permits and were erected too close to the security fence. But instead of simply stating the obvious – Israel is a state predicated on the rule of law, therefore, under any and all circumstances, there is no room for any form of illegal land encroachment, and any illegal construction bears demolition penalties – Israel's explanation for the demolition was very contrite.
Whatever Israel does is likely to meet international disapproval, yet Israel seems unable to rebuff this criticism from a position of strength.
The latest episode of the razing of illegal Palestinian buildings ended up in the United Nations, no less, where the United States blocked a draft resolution condemning Israel's actions. Is there any other country in the world whose every action is scrutinized under an international microscope and is globally micromanaged? Obviously not.
The draft UN Security Council resolution, presented by Kuwait, Indonesia, and South Africa, argued that the move "undermines the viability of the two-state solution and the prospect for just and lasting peace."
This only begs the question of why the UN Security Council never rushes to condemn Palestinian terrorism, the indoctrination of anti-Semitism in the Palestinian education system, or the Palestinian Authority's "pay-for-slay" practice of paying stipends to terrorists and their families. The list of outrageous behavior is endless, but there is never a UN resolution condemning the PA for undermining the viability of the two-state solution and the prospect for a just and lasting peace.
Many argue that Israel simply has yet to perfect its public diplomacy policy. Israel may possess the kind of audacity and confidence you need to become a successful country anywhere in the world, let alone in the Middle East, but when it comes to speaking up for itself and going on the diplomatic offense (rather than always being on the defense), Israel simply fails. Miserably.
The international disrespect for Israel's sovereignty and the rulings of its High Court of Justice is beyond reprehensible, yet Israel dares not demand that this change.
Somehow, it seems that the mentality from which Jews suffered during their millennia in exile – the need to avoid confrontation, to justify our right to defend ourselves, the need to win others' approval and to avoid stepping on anyone's toes – has found its way to Israel's public diplomacy tenet.
We already know that Israel is held to a standard which no other country is asked – or would agree – to uphold. Yet Israel has not been able to break through this barrier.
Israel must find the confidence to stand by its convictions vis-à-vis the international community, and it must do so unapologetically and without the need to mount special public diplomacy campaigns. The state must rethink its attitude toward its own policies, as well as strive to change Israelis' perception of reality and national reflection, so as not to have "outside noises" distort the rational national thought.
It's time for Israel to take control of its own public diplomacy narrative instead of flinching at the constant international intimidation. Stand your ground, stand up for your actions – good or bad – as all other countries do.
They say that Jews are the canary in the coal mine for humanity, i.e., what starts with the Jews does not end with the Jews. However, it now appears that Israel is the only one fluttering in the coal mine and has not found its way out of its own trap.
