A Constructivist Analysis of Israel’s Nuclear Policy

Abstract

According to social constructivism, material resources acquire meaning for human action through the structure of shared knowledge in which they are embedded  and identities shape the actor’s material and non-material interests. This article would seek to examine Israel’s constructed meaning of nuclear weapons and to analyze Israel’s nuclear policy from a social constructivist perspective. It is argued that having nuclear weapons for Israel, is the prominence of Zionist design. The aim is to protect the existence of the state while preserving its “Jewishness”; simply to safeguard the identity. It is also argued that Israel’s nuclear policy as deterrent factor vis-à-vis Arab attacks, has not only failed but also fueled a non-conventional arms race in the region since Israel is perceived as a threat in the Arab shared knowledge. 

Keywords

• Social Constructivism, Nuclear weapons, Israel’s nuclear policy, Regional culture in the Middle East

İsrai̇l’i̇n Nükleer Poli̇ti̇kasının Konstrükti̇vi̇st Analizi

Abstract

Sosyal inşacılığa göre, somut kaynaklar bağlı oldukları ve paylaşılan bilgi yapısı aracılığıyla insan eylemlerinde bir anlam kazanırlar ve kimlikler aktörlerin maddi ve maddi olmayan çıkarlarını şekillendirir. Bu çalışma İsrail’in nükleer silahlar için inşa ettiği anlamları incelemeyi ve İsrail’in nükleer politikasını sosyal inşacı bakış açısınmdan analiz etmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Çalışmanın yazarı, İsrail için nükleer silahlara sahip olmanın, Siyonist politika tasarımının bir devamı olduğunu tartışmaktadır. Bundan amaç, devletin “Yahudi” karakterini ve aynı zamanda da varlığını koruma ve güvence altına almaktır. Buna ek olarak, yazar, İsrail’in Arap saldırıları karşısında caydırıcı olduğunu düşündüğü nükleer politikasının başarısız olduğunu; bölgede geleneksel olmayan (non-conventional) silah yarışını da tetiklediğini öne sürmektedir.

Keywords

• Sosyal inşacılık, Nükleer Silahlar, İsrail’in Nükleer Politikası, Ortadoğu Bölgesel Kültürü

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