Date

6-19-2024

Department

Helms School of Government

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy (PhD)

Chair

Joel Cox

Keywords

evangelicals, Jerry Falwell, foreign policy, international relations, Abraham Accords, Camp David Accords, Oslo Accords, Track II diplomacy, constructivism, Israel, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Palestinians, policy history, constructivism, Zionism, Donald Trump, Jimmy Carter, Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Rabin, Hamas, Mahmoud Abbas, christian zionism

Disciplines

History | Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration

Abstract

This qualitative study contributes to the literature at the intersection of religion and foreign policy by focusing on one of the modern era's most protracted and relevant foreign policy issues (the conflict between Israelis and Arabs), the influence of one of America’s most powerful religious constituencies (evangelicals), and one of the most widely used tools of non- governmental diplomacy (Track II diplomacy). It provides original research related to the relevancy of Track II diplomacy by evangelicals, specifically pro-Israel or “Zionist” evangelicals, in Israeli and Arab peacemaking. The study analyzes three relevant case studies to answer the research question: “How are evangelical Track II diplomatic efforts relevant to Israeli and Arab peacemaking?” The historical case studies include the Camp David Accords, the Oslo Accords, and the Abraham Accords. Each reflects significant undertakings involving the United States Government—and the Norwegian government in the case of the Oslo Accords—as a broker for peace between the State of Israel and the nation’s Arab neighbors, including the Palestinians. The case studies are conducted through interviews with participants or eyewitnesses to each event and the analysis of relevant documents, including historical records.

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