The limits of Israel’s periphery doctrine: Lessons from the Caucasus and Central Asia

Recently, Israel has resuscitated its ‘periphery doctrine’: the attempted circumvention of Arab hostility, by cultivating relations with other nearby actors. Despite the expanding literature on the periphery doctrine, no study has delineated Israel’s contemporary relations with the Caucasus and Central Asia. This deficit is conspicuous, because earlier works noted Israel’s employment of the periphery doctrine to create durable relations, across both regions. This assessment contrasts with non-regional literature, which stresses the periphery doctrine’s limited utility. This essay therefore provides an updated assessment of Israel’s regional ties. We argue that Israel has, in fact, failed to create long-term partnerships in the Caucasus and Central Asia. Thus, these cases illuminate the periphery doctrine’s deficiencies.