What is it about?
The paper focuses on the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Men’s U-21 tournament, held in 2013, and explores how the event was used to project a positive international image of the country in response to the growing levels of criticism being made of the actions of the Israeli state. An assessment is made of the rhetoric that surrounded the sports event in the print and online media: celebratory and congratulatory by the host nation (Israel) and by UEFA; critical amongst Palestinians and their supporters in the wider international community.
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Why is it important?
The paper demonstrates that in addition to the often-cited mega-event examples (e.g. FIFA World Cup Finals, Summer and Winter Olympic Games), smaller sporting events are playing a significant role for smaller nations. In particular, the Israeli state is increasingly investing in ‘soft power’ to complement its traditional diplomatic activities and ‘hard’ (here military) power.
Perspectives
The paper contains a critique of soft power (known in Israel as ‘hasbara’) with various examples (sport, tourist, religious and cultural) used to illustrate how the concept is empirically operationalised (‘hasbara in action’). The actual and potential role of hasbara in the realpolitik of the region is considered and its implications for Israelis, Palestinians and the existence of the state of Israel.
Dr Jon J Dart
Leeds Beckett University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: ‘Brand Israel’: hasbara and Israeli sport, Sport in Society, January 2016, Taylor & Francis,
DOI: 10.1080/17430437.2015.1133595.
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