Stoler: Legitimating Jewish Identity Amidst Chaos: Zionist Public Diploma statehood bid. 3 LEGITIMATING JEWISH IDENTITY AMIDST CHAOS: ZIONIST PUBLIC DIPLOMACY 1 By Rudy Stoler Goucher College 4 5 Abstract 6 and the Bible to the world through their testimony. 7 tikkun olam Second Intifada of the early 2000s, and most recently in the lead-up to the unilateral Palestinian statehood bid in shtadlanim8 2011. These events provided the motivation for the mutually supportive activities of legitimating Jewish identity individuals, they stirred debates within the Jewish community about the proper role of public diplomacy. These 9 events and the vulnerabilities of Jewish identity. Key Words establishing substantial relationships. For example, when meeting with Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, 10 This article observes the roots motivating fundamental shifts in how diplomats understand the role of public United States, retain almost universal support. 2 diverse opinion and lively debates on the topic. Their debates tend to intensify around events that threaten Exchange, are prolonged 3 The Zionist Idea search for value in PD and often develop bolder, more innovative PD strategies. 4 The Zionist Idea, 5 Moral Grandeur and Spiritual Audacity 6 7 Moral Grandeur and Spiritual 1 Audacity 8 Jewish Political Studies Review 2 9 The Zionist Idea, 10- - The Published by ZionistSURFACE, Idea: 2012 A Historical Analysis and Reader 1 54 55 Exchange: The Journal of Public Diplomacy, Vol. 3 [2012], Iss. 1, Art. 7 11 21 12 22 outside world, legitimating the separate Jewish identity and message.13 human rights grants the diplomats a sense of moral self-identity with which they are comfortable and which they 23 14 15 16 24 are traits that gain the country international respect and admiration, a reputation for serving the wider public good.25 17 26 18 identity as a nation apart and as a nation with an international purpose. As the case studies show, these responses 27 28 causes with such universal principles as human rights, justice, democracy, and international norms. The Relationship Between Dual Identity and Legitimation 29 Second Intifada and Legitimating Self-Defense 19 words, the diplomats must sustain an image of a Jewish nation protecting its own communities while behaving as those aspects that resonate with particular foreign audiences.20 21 11 12 - ing diplomats, Daniel Mariaschin. 22 13 14 15 23 16 24 17 18 25 19 26 them. projects in the Foreign Ministry. 20 27- 28 29 56 https://surface.syr.edu/exchange/vol3/iss1/7 2 57 Stoler: Legitimating Jewish Identity Amidst Chaos: Zionist Public Diploma 30 37 38 of human rights, both Jewish and non-Jewish. 39 Despite efforts to appear otherwise, the IDF gained a reputation for excessive aggression and inattention to human a wide array of operational recommendations intended to ease government-media communications, Meir added, 40 seconds later, the boy collapsing. Blame and condemnation immediately fell on the IDF, which largely failed to contest the accusations of wrongdoing and even accepted the claim that the shots came from the Israeli side 41 31 32 time, the media was generally ready to blame Israel for atrocities with only mere rumors as evidence.42 To him, heartless.