(Re)Creating the Jewish State: Projects of (In)Security and the Disjuncture to Price-Tag Violence Nicola S. Mathie Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion Lancaster University This thesis is submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in International Relations November 2018 Declaration This thesis is the result of my own work and includes nothing, which is the outcome of the work done in collaboration except where specifically indicated in the text. It has not been previously submitted, in part or whole, to any university or institution for any degree, diploma, or other qualification. Signed: Nicola S. Mathie Research Award This thesis is the outcome of Research Award Grant Number 1225917 from The Economic and Social Research Council. My appreciation will always be with The Economic and Social Research Council for funding this PhD. Abstract Jewish-Israeli settlements built over the State of Israel’s internationally-recognised territorial borders are sites of contestation. The focus of this thesis is upon conflicts and contestations which have developed between the State of Israel and some of its own subjects, Jewish settlers, over the evacuation of settlement-communities and structures, and other perceived threats to settlement. From 2008, a new form of violence has been enacted by individuals in the settler community. Self-declared as Price-Tag violence, the attacks take different forms. These include vandalising Palestinian properties and spraying provocative graffiti, and throwing Molotov cocktails at properties. Whilst the attacks are predominantly perpetrated upon Palestinian targets, the attacks are directed at the State of Israel. Price-Tag attacks have also occurred directly on Israeli targets, such as Israeli military vehicles. Since 2011, mosques, churches and monasteries have been defiled with incendiary graffiti and have been torched. Such attacks reflect a heightened radicalism. A number of figures, including high-ranking Israeli security and military individuals, have warned of stark dangers which Price-Tag violence poses and classified it as acts of terror. The aim of this thesis is to trace a genealogy of Price-Tag violence and to critically ask why conflicts between the State and some settlers have developed. Politically and etiologically, I will analyse the origins of conflicts by identifying tensions in ‘Zionism,’ different meanings within the Jewish State of Israel’s (re)creation, and different projects within settlement. I will then focus on two key historic events which the Jewish State took against settlement: the Gaza Disengagement (2005) and the Amona outpost evacuation (2006). Situating these as significant disjunctive moments, I will assess (re)actions to these acts and their impacts on State-settler relations. With increased disjuncture in some State-settler relations, I will trace a taboo-breaking trajectory of the increased acceptability of violence to safeguard settlement, Land, and perceived security. The thesis will culminate in directly assessing the self-declared ‘new era’ of Price-Tag violence, uncovering its foundations, motivations and significance. The thesis is heavily informed by original data from fieldwork which I conducted in Israel and the West Bank, where unique perspectives from Palestinians and diverse Israelis, particularly Jewish settlers, will be central to analysis. Drawing on key concepts from Critical Security Studies and Political Geography, this thesis will make contributions to these sub-disciplines by showing central interactions between the State, space and (in)security throughout, and different natures of space, impacts of spatial practices, and different meanings of (in)security. 1 Acknowledgements This thesis has been a journey. The support I have received has been central for allowing this journey to be embarked upon and for the research and thesis to come to fruition. I would like to give my thanks and appreciation to The Economic and Social Research Council. I was so delighted being awarded a Research Award (Grant Number 1225917) for my PhD. This award was crucial for enabling me to undertake a PhD and without this support, this PhD would not be possible. This support will always be greatly appreciated. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank AimHigher Cumbria and Brian Wood, the Norman Nicholson Bursary from Millom Town Council, The Sidney-Perry Foundation, and the Department of Education. The opportunities and generous support which I received from these organisations and bodies were also central for allowing me to undertake Undergraduate and Masters degrees and for opening possibilities. I would like to say a huge thank-you to my PhD supervisors, Professor Aristotle Kallis and Dr. Simon Mabon. Their support throughout my thesis has been greatly appreciated and the conversations that we have shared have always been both stimulating and enjoyable. The depth of this research would not have been possible without my fieldwork. I would very much like to thank all the people who spoke with me for my research. The insights of interviewees were invaluable, bringing unique insights, richness and deeper understanding. The time which interviewees gave and perceptions which they shared will be always be greatly appreciated. All my interviews were provoking and enjoyable and will never be forgotten. I would also like to thank all the friends that I made in the course of my fieldwork who made my time so memorable. Thank-you to their kindness and hospitality and the memories and laughter which we shared This thesis is dedicated with love to my family. I thank my family always for their continuous love and support and for being such special people. You have been my driving- force and are always my motivation and inspiration in life. 2 List of Maps and Images Images Image 3a: Settlement-construction and a settlement adjacent Image 3b: The settlement Ofra Image 3c: The settlement Mod’in Illit Image 3d: The settlement Ofra enclosed within a wall Image 3e: Sign into ‘Area A’ forbidding Israeli citizens entry Image 3f: The Havat Gilad outpost Image 3g: State evacuation of the Havat Gilad outpost, 2011 Image 4a: Disengagement Protestor Appealing to Forces Image 4b: Close Relations Image 4c: Gush Katif protestor carried by IDF Image 4d: Flag of the State of Israel on settlement home Image 4e: Bulldozing settlement home in Gush Katif Image 5a: The Amona Outpost Image 5b: The Amona Evacuation Image 5c: ‘Settlers Rally in Amona evacuation’ Image 5d: Israeli horse-mounted police facing protestors in Amona evacuation Image 5e: 'Settler woman struggles with Israeli officer, Amona outpost evacuation’ Image 6a: ‘Hilltop Youth in a Facebook post at the Givat Habaladim outpost’ Image 6b: Example of Price-Tag attack 3 Image 6c: Price-Tag attack- ‘Revenge’ sprayed Image 6d: ‘A timeline presenting the development and activities of the “Revolt” group’ Image 6e: Price-Tag attack on West Bank mosque Maps Map 3a: ‘Israeli territorial changes, 1949-1967’ Map 3b: ‘Israeli Settlements in the West Bank’ Map 3c: ‘The Allon Plan’ Map 3d: Israeli settlement locations in the West Bank marked in purple Map 3e: ‘Oslo II Map Outlining Areas A, B, and C’ Map 3f: ‘Settlements established and evacuated, 1967-2010’ Map 3g: Spatial Location of Yitzhar settlement from the Green Line Map 3h: Yitzhar located close to Palestinian villages (in brown) Map 3i: Spatial Location of Settlement Elon Moreh from the Green Line Map 4a: ‘Israeli Settlements in Gaza’ Map 5a: Spatial Location of Amona by the settlement of Ofra from the Green Line 4 Contents Abstract 1 Acknowledgements 2 List of Maps and Images 3 Contents 5 Introduction 8 - The Growth of a Problematic and Research Importance 8 - Hypothesis 13 - Primary Research Questions 14 - Methodology 15 - Claims of Originality and Contribution 20 - Thesis Outline 21 Chapter One: Conceptual Framework- (In)Security and Space 24 - Introduction 24 - Critical Security Studies and the Centrality of (In)Security 26 - Political Geography and Space and (In)Security 29 - The Uniqueness of the State of Israel: Further Dimensions 43 of Security and Space - Conclusion 49 Chapter Two: The (Re)Creation of the Jewish State of Israel- 51 Projects of Zionism, Space and (In)Security - Introduction 51 - ‘Jewish Revolution’ 53 - Political Zionism: Space and Liberation 55 - The Space of Eretz Yisrael 58 - Religious Interpretations of Zionism: Space and Redemption 60 - Space and Existential (In)Security 68 5 - Conclusion 70 Chapter Three: Jewish Settlement in Space and the 75 Activation of Project of (In)Security - Introduction 75 - The Practice of Settlement 77 - Main Stages in Israel’s Settlement History 87 - Settlement and the (In)Securitisation of Space 100 - Settlement and National-Religious Zionism: Redemption and the 107 Mitzvah of Settlement - Settlement-Outposts 117 - Conclusion 124 Chapter Four: The Gaza Disengagement 130 - Introduction: Symbolism and Provocation of Torn Flags 130 - Settlement in Gaza and the Disengagement 132 - Reactions to the Disengagement in Settler and Religious Communities 137 - Debates and the Nature of (Re)actions at the Time of the Disengagement in 143 Settler and Religious Communities - Significance of the Disengagement: A Disjunctive Moment 154 - Impacts of the Disengagement in Settler and Religious Communities 159 - Conclusion 167 Chapter Five: The Amona Evacuation 173 - Introduction 173 - The Battle of and for Amona 175 - Perceptions on ‘Evacuation’ 186 - Accounting for Violent Confrontation/Resistance in Amona 191 - Relations