Israel’s Strategic and Tactical Use of the 2017 Maccabiah Games for Nation Branding and Public Diplomacy

Sport-tech diplomacy: exploring the intersections between the sport-tech ecosystem, innovation, and diplomacy in Israel

“…Wars and armed conflict create animosity towards a country’s image (Heslop et al 2008 ; Shoham et al 2006 ). When examining Israel’s deteriorating image, several scholars (Avraham 2009 ; Dubinsky 2018 ; Gilboa 2006 ) recommended to try and create a bypassing message that disassociates the country from the ongoing armed dispute, in a way that foreign audiences could relate to without being forced to choose a side in a polarizing conflict. In recent years, the Israeli government has tried to use technology to create a narrative that portrays Israel beyond the conflict (Avraham 2015 ; Mashiah and Avraham 2019 ).…”

“…The stakeholders that impact on a country’s use of sports for nation branding and public diplomacy vary from public institutions and individuals such as governments and municipalities through politicians, leaders, and officers, the sports community through associations, clubs and teams, players, coaches, and owners, the private sector through sponsors, investors and industry leaders, non-governmental organizations such as sports and development for peace organization or international associations and federations, and of course private citizens and individuals, and other pressure groups (Dubinsky 2018 , 2019a , b ; Murray 2018 ). The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world of sports, as sports events around the world (Drewes et al 2020 ; Pedersen et al 2021 ) were postponed or cancelled, including the Olympic Games in Tokyo, thus, impacting countries’ public diplomacy efforts.…”

“…Innovation is also rooted in Jewish and Israeli history through the early stages of the Zionist Movement in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries (Dubinsky and Dzikus 2019 ; Harif 2011 ; Kaufmann and Galily 2009 ). In the second Zionist Congress in 1898, Max Nordau coined the term “Muscular Judaism” (Harif 2011 ).…”

“…The Maccabiah Movement connects Jewish communities with each other and to the State of Israel through the Maccabiah Games—The Jewish Olympics”—a quadrennial international multi-sports event for Jews event taking place in Israel. (Dubinsky and Dzikus 2019 ; Harif 2011 ; Kaufman and Galily 2009 ). To be a homeland for Jewish people and to increase the Jewish demographic in the country, there are certain Israeli laws such as The Law of Return and the Citizenship Law that grants Israeli citizenship to every Jewish person who makes “Aliyah” and immigrates to Israel (Dubinsky 2018 ).…”

“…(Dubinsky and Dzikus 2019 ; Harif 2011 ; Kaufman and Galily 2009 ). To be a homeland for Jewish people and to increase the Jewish demographic in the country, there are certain Israeli laws such as The Law of Return and the Citizenship Law that grants Israeli citizenship to every Jewish person who makes “Aliyah” and immigrates to Israel (Dubinsky 2018 ). After Israel’s independence, numerous athletes made “Aliyah” after competing in the Maccabiah Games.…”