Václav Havel’s Zionism? The Role of New Political Elites in the Transformation of Czech Policies Towards the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict after the Fall of Communism
- Marek Čejka
Abstract
This essay analyzes the causes and conditions that led Czech political elites to form a strong bond with the State of Israel after the Velvet Revolution. This bond gradually developed into a strategic alliance. This relationship became increasingly accompanied by the Czech Republic’s clearly uncritical stances towards Israel and its policies in the Middle East. In this context, the important role of Czech political elites – initially led by Václav Havel – is examined, while the shifts in their thinking that contributed to today’s approaches in Czech diplomacy are illustrated.
Keywords
Václav Havel, Czechoslovak foreign policy, Israel, Czech foreign policy, counterelites
Author Biography
Marek Čejka
Marek Čejka focuses on the Middle East, the relationship between religion and politics, religious radicalism and terrorism. Currently, he is an associate professor and lecturer at Ambis College, Prague, Department of International Relations and Political Science. In 2001–2002 he was a fellow at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, and in 2013–2014, he was Fulbright Fellow at Hartford Seminary, USA. His books include Judaism and Politics in Israel (2009), Israel and Palestine (2007), Rabbis of our Time (2015, co-author, published by Routledge), Quran, Sword and Ballots – Sources and Forms of Islamism (2020, in Czech).