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RI, of course, means preventing world outrage from boiling over, followed by actions harming Israeli interests, not its repeated crimes of war, against humanity, and high seas outrages. It worries instead about a new challenge because of two developments:
-- Hamas' "increased sophistication and efficiency and the Resistance Network's 'Logic of Implosion.' " It aims to precipitate Israel's collapse from overstretch, benefitting from the unpopular occupation, promoting its delegitimization, and engaging in asymmetric tactics against Israeli civilians; and
-- the Delegitimization Network's evolution, aiming to portray Israeli as a pariah state, gaining support from "the Western liberal progressive elite (through) a variety of means aimed at blurring its true intentions."
In recent years, the Resistance and Delegitimization Networks have created connections able to accelerate the following dynamics:
-- "Promoting the one-state paradigm;" and
-- Foiling Israel's ability to contain or deny legitimacy to Hamas and Hezbollah.
Both lead "a systemic and systematic attack against Israel's political and economic model, which has already had strategic consequences and may become existential if ignored or inadequately addressed." In addition, Israel hasn't developed an effective response to this challenge.
Hamas gained "agility" from 2006 electoral victory. Israeli "rigidity" followed - policies unable to change Hamas' positions or precipitate its demise. "On the contrary, Hamas went from strength to strength" despite Israel's imposed siege and Cast Lead. It continually adapts to new circumstances, "demonstrating a relatively clear strategic logic....while strengthening its domestic and international status" and ability to promote Israeli delegitimization.
The Gaza Flotilla and others planned are "the latest manifestation of a systemic and systematic attack" to undermine Israel's legitimacy with considerable support from the BDS campaign, the "lawfare" war against senior Israeli officials, and effect of the Goldstone Commission.
The Flotilla was "a first-of-its-kind collaboration" between Hamas and the Resistance and Delegitimization Networks. Turkey's involvement was the "difference that made the difference." In addition, its organizers' ability to gain Western progressive elite support turned Israel's interdiction into a "global and politically explosive event." RI called it a "clash of brands," Israel tarnished and defeated in the eyes of world public opinion.
Indeed so but not enough. Still RI concludes that Israel's firewall is eroding because it's increasingly viewed as not "genuinely striving for peace, consistently and honestly committed to ending control over the Palestinians, or concerned with alleviating the humanitarian situation in Gaza."
Israel doesn't understand the gravity of the delegitimization threat, and hasn't addressed it effectively. The campaign promoting it will continue, perhaps in new forms. RI urges confronting it strategically by "systematically collect(ing) intelligence (and) identif(ing) key (delegitimization) catalysts," as well as adopting a:
"consistent and honest....commitment to end....control over the Palestinians, advance human rights (at least rhetorically), and promote greater integration and equality for its Arab citizens...."
"It takes a network to fight" one, says RI. Disrupting it is job one by training Israeli diplomats to work in delegitimization hubs, developing its own network, re-branding itself to promote a new image, and engaging "liberal progressive elite(s)." The objective - delegitimize, isolate and marginalize the delegitimizers and BDS movement.
Its earlier "delegitimize challenge" report recommended sabotage and subterfuge against growing forces it fears. Perhaps now it's softening but not enough. It omitted the right of return, East Jerusalem as Palestine's capital, the logic of a one-state solution, the renunciation of conflict, an admission of Israeli crimes of war and against humanity, accountability for those responsible, demilitarization as a show of good faith, legislation granting all Israeli citizens equal rights, an occupation end date, a full commitment to the rule of law, and restitution to compensate victims for decades of crimes and destructive harm for starters.
Short of fundamental change, Israeli delegitimization will prevail over half-hearted measures, more rhetorical than substantive the way they've always been for decades.
