EU-Israeli Relations: Geopolitical Perspectives in the Wake of Nationalist Populism

Using Netanyahu’s Israel as a case study, this chapter adds a crucial layer to the study of Israel’s radical right populism. First, we discuss the concept of populism, arguing that populism is prevalent in Israeli politics because conflicts concerning the inclusion/exclusion of subordinate social groups have marked Israeli society since its inception. Second, we expose the depth of Israel’s relationships with Europe’s populists and Eurosceptics, and we argue that Netanyahu’s Israel shares common values with these actors. Finally, we claim that Israel uses populism and Euroscepticism as a foreign policy instrument in its uneasy relationship with the EU in order to achieve specific political objectives.