“Dor Moriah” Shaping the Image of Israel’s Future

“Dor Moriah”: Shaping the Image of Israel’s Future in a Global Context

The “Dor Moriah” think tank actively participates in shaping the image of Israel’s future. The organization’s experts conduct sociological research, prepare analytical documents, and organize expert discussions, including those aimed at rethinking the country’s geopolitical position between the Collective West and the Global South. The center’s activities demonstrate how proactive citizens and organizations can influence the strategic development of their country in the global landscape.

Recent Events and Initiatives

1. Expert meeting and creation of the Coordination Council to strengthen economic cooperation between Israel and BRICS countries.

On June 27, 2024, Dor Moriah organized an expert discussion in Tel Aviv on the topic “Israel: Between the Collective West and the Global South” as part of the “Haifa Format” project[1]. The event presented the results of a series of sociological studies conducted by the Center from March 2023 to June 2024, concerning current issues in Israeli society and geopolitics.

Photo from the roundtable on Promotion of Israel in BRICS
Photo courtesy of Dor Moriah organization and allowed for publication

This event became a catalyst for the creation of the “Coordination Council for Israel’s Cooperation with BRICS Countries,” marking a new stage in creating a strategic vision of the future for our country.

2. First meeting of the Coordination Council and Judeo-Islamic interfaith dialogue

On July 25, 2024, the first meeting of the newly created Coordination Council took place in Tel-Aviv[2]. The agenda included:

1. Discussion of the results of sociological research on Israel’s position between the West and the Global South[3].
2. Approval of the Council’s activity regulations.
3. Development of a strategy taking into account the research results.

Special attention was paid to the issue of strengthening interfaith dialogue between Judaism and traditional Islam as an important step in combating radical groups in the Middle East. Interfaith dialogue also contributes to strengthening cultural ties with Middle Eastern countries, including those that signed the Abraham Accords.

The meeting also discussed a large-scale information campaign aimed at strengthening ties between Israel and India in the context of potential cooperation with BRICS:

– A video address by Dor Moriah leaders to Indian partners attracted the attention of over a million Indian citizens.

– The message was published in more than 43 Indian media outlets, demonstrating the campaign’s wide reach.

– The campaign highlighted the growing interest in Israel’s potential rapprochement with the Global South.

Dor Moriah conducted a comprehensive study “Israel between the Collective West and the Global South,” which revealed several key trends in public opinion:

3. 70% of Israelis recognize the existence of a conflict between the Collective West and the Global South.
4. 59% of respondents consider this conflict predominantly economic, while 41% see it as geopolitical.
5. 35.8% of those surveyed advocate for Israel’s neutrality and building constructive relations with both the West and the Global South.
6. The majority of Israelis (55%) are poorly informed about BRICS, which opens opportunities for information work.
7. Only 16% of Israelis believe that Israel should align exclusively with the Collective West.
8. Israelis expect positive changes in all spheres of the country’s life in case of joining BRICS, especially in economics and foreign policy.

Photo from recent activity of Dor Moriah (Courtesy:Dor Moriah)

3.Meetings in the Knesset

On July 29, 2024, two strategically important meetings took place, during which, among other things, the projects of Dor Moriah and its partner organizations were discussed[4]

Activists and experts from Dor Moriah and the Derech Eretz Movement met with Yuli Edelstein, a Knesset member from the Likud party and chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee. Edelstein emphasized the new security challenges facing Israel and the need for a multi-vector foreign policy. Dor Moriah experts also noted that there is a problem with civil society as a tool of controlled chaos. When public activists seek to replace representative democracy with plebiscitary democracy. In the name of the street, to remove the legally elected government and parliament. As Yuli Edelstein noted, calling for re-elections, such political and civic activists already do not recognize elections in advance if they do not like the results.

Dor Moriah at the Knesset (Courtesy: Dor Moriah)

A meeting was held in the Knesset with MP Amitai A-Levi, dedicated to promoting a parliamentary lobby on the legalization of district councils in Israeli cities. This initiative, promoted by Dor Moriah, aims to introduce elements of a majoritarian electoral system at the local level. Issues of developing the Derech Eretz movement and reducing civil divisions in Israeli society were also discussed.

Dor Moriah at the Knesset (Photo courtesy: Dor Moriah)

Shaping the Image of Israel’s Future

The activities of Dor Moriah demonstrate how think tanks and proactive citizens can play a key role in shaping their country’s future. The organization not only studies public opinion but also actively participates in its formation, creating a space for dialogue between various stakeholders and offering new perspectives on Israel’s development in a complex geopolitical landscape.

The results of the research and the success of the information campaign in India show that Israelis are open to the idea of a more balanced foreign policy that takes into account the interests of both the West and the Global South. This creates a foundation for a potential shift in the country’s course towards greater neutrality and expanded cooperation with developing economies.

Initiatives by Dor Moriah, such as the creation of the Coordination Council for Cooperation with BRICS, can become a catalyst for real changes in Israel’s policy. They provide a platform for discussing and developing concrete steps to expand interaction with the Global South while maintaining traditional ties with the West.

The work of Dor Moriah underscores the importance of civic initiative and analytical activity in shaping the country’s future. The organization demonstrates how non-governmental structures can influence foreign policy, creating a favorable background for potential geopolitical changes and contributing to a deeper understanding of Israel’s place in the changing world order.

[1] https://dor-moriah.org.il/en/image-of-israels-future-coordinating-council-for-the-promotion-of-israel-in-brics/

[2] https://dor-moriah.org.il/en/israel-at-a-crossroads-toward-integration-with-the-global-south/

[3] https://dor-moriah.org.il/en/israel-between-the-collective-west/

[4] https://dor-moriah.org.il/en/dor-morias-meetings-with-knesset-members-key-discussions-and-initiatives/