At a panel discussion held at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) last Wednesday, Justice Minister MK Tzipi Livni delivered opening remarks in which she stressed the need for Israel to fight for diplomatic legitimacy in the face of increasing global opposition.
Livni's speech, themed "Fighting for Legitimacy," addressed the wave of attacks on Israel's legitimacy, a wave swelling recently as never before according to her words.
Indeed, just last Thursday in a meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry, Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas officially delivered his "red lines," which included his "refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state."
The general global trend of delegitimizing Israel noted by Livni has been accompanied by a growing global anti-Semitism according to the Justice Minister. Recent services have revealed that in Europe in particular anti-Semitism is swelling to endemic proportions.
However, Livni commented that not all criticism of Israel should be considered anti-Semitism and delegitimizing, arguing that Israel should remain open to criticism.
The topic of delegitimization is particularly pertinent for Livni. In 2009 an arrest warrant was reportedly issued against her in the UK regarding her involvement as Foreign Minister in the IDF counter-terror Operation Cast Lead in Gaza the previous year.
The INSS event was held as a panel discussion with Professor Alan Dershowitz and INSS Director Maj. Gen. (ret.) Amos Yadlin. Supreme Court Justice Elyakim Rubinstein delivered an address as well.