Comments on Israel's threat perceptions based on Israel's Hasbara works

Israel's public diplomacy work, namely Hasbara, is a way of diplomacy conducted based on its unique historical background and political dynamics. While the State of Israel has left behind 70 years, it can be assumed as a relatively new state compared to Jews' own history. The political problems experienced by the new state in its region, and its reactions against those problems attract not only the region but also whole world. Facing with such interest, Israel, who needs to express itself to the world, tries to explain that it is righteous, modern, democratic, innovative and peaceful. Moreover, it struggles against Anti-Semitism that has been going since the past. All of the effort to explain and struggle is a systematic communication process managed within Hasbara. Within the scope of Hasbara, Israel gives necessary importance to Hasbara with its official institutions, domestic and international non-governmental organizations. In addition to trying to express himself within the scope Hasbara works, it criticizes some states, organizations and political structures. In these criticisms, it forms its Hasbara works based on fundamental concepts such as religion, race and terror. In addition, it tries to reach large audiences by virtue of some specific techniques, especially through social media. In the present study, which is dealing with public diplomacy, public perception and Israeli history, Israel's Hasbara works are tried to be explained with its institutional structures, techniques and examples of use. On the basis of Hasbara works, which are examined with a qualitative approach in the present study, it is aimed to determine which elements Israel considers as a threat for itself. Since Israel has historical roots in its current location, it does not allow the existence of another state in the territory of Israel. As a result, it has an ethnic-based problem with Palestine. Palestine and its affiliated organizations can be considered as a threat by Israel. Accordingly, the foremost threat risk is HAMAS organization. Due to the fact that the region is also important for Islam, Arabs and some other nations intervene the issue through religion. Iranian state, other Arab states in the region, and the organizations such as Hezbollah are other major threats to Israel. Anti-Semitic civil organizations and United Nations in institutional terms can be pointed out as other problematic issues for Israel. Even tough Hasbara works involve Israel's efforts to express its own values, these works are predominantly conducted in a descriptive and critical manner through these institutions and structures. Keywords: Diplomacy, Public Relations, Perception, Anti-Semitism, Middle East