THE TRANSFORMATION OF ISRAELI PEACE ACTIVISM SINCE THE SECOND INTIFADA By LEONIE FLEISCHMANN A dissertation submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy City University London Department of International Politics December 2015 ©2015 Leonie Fleischmann All Rights Reserved i ii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ...........................................................................................................................................x LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................................. xi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .............................................................................................................................. xii DECLARATION ............................................................................................................................................ xiii COPYRIGHT DECLARATION ........................................................................................................................ xiii ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................................. xiv CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 1 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 1 2 Research Questions ............................................................................................................................... 6 3 Key Terms .............................................................................................................................................. 7 4 Period of Study ...................................................................................................................................... 8 5 Methodology ......................................................................................................................................... 9 5.1 Data Specification .................................................................................................................... 10 5.2 Data Collection ......................................................................................................................... 12 5.3 Data Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 14 6 Limitations ........................................................................................................................................... 15 7 Structure of the Dissertation ............................................................................................................... 15 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ................................................... 18 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 18 2 Social Movement Theory ..................................................................................................................... 19 2.1 Political Opportunity Structures ............................................................................................... 20 2.2 Collective Action Frames .......................................................................................................... 22 2.3 Tactical Repertoires .................................................................................................................. 23 2.4 Mobilisation Structures ............................................................................................................ 24 2.5 The Interaction between the Powers of Movement ................................................................ 26 2.6 Cycles of Contention ................................................................................................................ 26 2.7 The Connection between a Social Movement and the International Arena ............................ 28 iii 2.7.1 International Mobilising Structures .............................................................................. 28 2.7.2 International Political Opportunity Structures .............................................................. 29 2.8 The Role of Gender Dynamics in Social Movements ................................................................ 30 2.9 Understanding the Impact of a Social Movement .................................................................... 32 3 Israeli Peace Activism ........................................................................................................................... 33 4 Israeli Political Culture ......................................................................................................................... 35 5 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................ 36 CHAPTER 3: FROM INDIVIDUAL ATTEMPTS AT PEACE ACTIVISM TO THE BIRTH OF A PEACE MOVEMENT ....................................................................................................... 38 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 38 2 The First Phase: Individual Attempts at Peace Activism ...................................................................... 41 2.1 New Collective Action Frames: Ceding the Occupied Territories .......................................... 42 2.2 The Beginnings of a Repertoire of Contention ...................................................................... 43 2.3 Building Mobilising Structures ............................................................................................... 45 2.4 Political Opportunity Structures: Mixed Opportunities ......................................................... 46 3 The Second Phase: The Coming of Age of a Peace Movement in Israel .............................................. 48 3.1 Multiple Collective Action Frames ......................................................................................... 49 3.1.1 The Rise of the Liberal Zionist Component: Shalom Achshav is Founded ..................... 49 3.1.2 Pushing the Agenda: The Radical Component .............................................................. 51 3.1.3 New Ways to Frame the Situation: The Human Rights Component ............................. 53 3.1.3.1 The Refusal Movement ..................................................................................... 53 3.1.3.2 Human Rights Organisations ............................................................................. 54 3.1.4 Gendered Collective Action Frames .............................................................................. 54 3.2 Expanding and Radicalising the Repertoires of Contention of Israeli Peace Activism ........... 56 3.2.1 Demonstrations ............................................................................................................. 56 3.2.2 Non-Protest Based Tactics ............................................................................................ 57 3.2.3 Tactical Innovations ...................................................................................................... 60 3.2.3.1 Non-Violent Direct Action ................................................................................. 60 3.2.3.2 Boycott .............................................................................................................. 60 3.3 Expanding and Contracting Mobilisation Structures ............................................................. 61 iv 3.3.1 Gender Dynamics and Mobilisation Structures ............................................................ 62 3.3.2 The Influence of the International Dimension .............................................................. 63 3.3.3 The Impact of Technology and the Media .................................................................... 64 3.3.4 Coordination of the Components of the Peace Movement ......................................... 65 3.4 Political Opportunity Structures: A New Cycle of Contention ............................................... 65 3.4.1 The Liberal Zionist Component: Sensitive to Political Opportunity Structures ............ 66 3.4.1.1 Public Opinion ................................................................................................... 66 3.4.1.2 The Government ............................................................................................... 66 3.4.1.3 The International Dimension ............................................................................ 68 3.4.2 The Radical Component: Continuously Critical ............................................................ 68 3.4.2.1 The Government ............................................................................................... 69 3.4.2.2 The International Dimension ............................................................................ 70 3.4.3 The Human Rights Component: Emerging from a Shift in the Political Opportunity Structures ................................................................................................................... 70 3.4.4 The Convergence then Fragmentation of Israeli Peace Activism ................................