Václav Havel’s Zionism? The Role of New Political Elites in the Transformation of Czech Policies Towards the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict after the Fall of Communism

This essay analyzes the causes and conditions that led Czech political elites to form a strong bond with the State of Israel after the Velvet Revolution. This bond gradually developed into a strategic alliance. This relationship became increasingly accompanied by the Czech Republic’s clearly uncritical stances towards Israel and its policies in the Middle East. In this context, the important role of Czech political elites – initially led by Václav Havel – is examined, while the shifts in their thinking that contributed to today’s approaches in Czech diplomacy are illustrated.