Growing International Pressure Fails to Shift Israeli Policy Despite Mounting Isolation
TEL AVIV – Despite a surge in international sanctions and growing calls for a ceasefire, israel shows few signs of altering it’s current course regarding the conflict in Gaza and the West Bank, prompting questions about the effectiveness of external pressure on its leadership. A growing number of artists and filmmakers have pledged to boycott Israeli film institutions,citing their alleged “implication in genocide… against the Palestinian people,” while others,including Liev Schreiber and Debra Messing,have defended the Israeli film and TV industry as frequently critical of government policy.
The boycott movement, active for two years, is expected to intensify with the implementation of further sanctions. “It is something that has existed for two years but with the sanctions rolling in, we will be seeing a lot more of it,” stated Addam Yekutieli, a Tel Aviv-based artist known for his opposition to the Israeli offensive in Gaza and the nearly 50-year occupation of the West Bank. Yekutieli noted a defensive reaction within Israel,hindering critical self-reflection,and a prevailing expectation of a return to “normal” following the conflict.
Recent polling data reveals a divided Israeli public. While 59% of Israelis express concern over being barred from cultural and sporting events, this concern is considerably higher among opposition voters. Approximately half of Israelis believe the fighting in Gaza shoudl cease and prioritize the release of hostages.
Analysts are drawing parallels to the international sanctions imposed on apartheid South africa, which ultimately contributed to the regime’s collapse despite US support. the comparison is contentious, as Israel faces accusations from human rights organizations of implementing an apartheid system in its treatment of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and, according to some, within israel itself.
Itamar Eichner, a commentator for Yedioth Ahronoth, argued that South Africa‘s dismantling of apartheid stemmed not from international pressure, but from a realization that “real and lasting solutions” were necessary.He suggests Israel now faces a similar pivotal moment.
However, sanctions comparable to those leveled against South Africa have yet to materialize, and the Israeli economy has proven surprisingly resilient, bolstered by substantial government spending financed through borrowing. According to the OECD, the Israeli economy has demonstrated relative strength despite the ongoing conflict.
Yossi Mekelberg, of London’s Chatham House, emphasized the psychological impact of the October 7th attacks on Israelis and the “terrible catastrophe” facing Palestinians, but stressed the need for Israelis to recognise a shift in the international landscape. “Yes, Israelis are psychologically still on 7 October [2023] and in trauma, Palestinians are in the terrible catastrophe that they are facing. But Israelis also need to understand the tide has changed.”
