Although there is no end in sight for the Coronavirus crisis, and we do not know its repercussions for the future, it is not too soon to start thinking about its possible lessons and insights for Israeli foreign policy on the day after. For now, the messages are contradictory. On the one hand, states are closing their borders and turning inward, as mandated by health considerations. On the other hand, cooperation between states will clearly be necessary in order to overcome the unprecedented crisis in the health, economic and diplomatic arenas.

We are witnessing in recent years the rise of more conservative and populist regimes in various states, and even of some that have adopted racist overtones. The Covid-19 eruption could buttress their argument that unsupervised open borders result not only in uncontrolled immigration, but also in epidemics. An understandably frightened public could support seclusion and isolationist trends. The immediate challenge on the day after will require a balance between what appear to be two polar positions – the version of globalization as we know it vis-à-vis separation and isolationism.

Israel is facing that challenge all the more forcefully given the trends of recent years. Its foreign policy has been marked by increasing walls of separation, an emphasis on threats – whether existential or merely serious, defensiveness in the face of diplomatic initiatives, and a deep sense that “the world is against us” or that “the world does not fully understand the threats we face”. The current crisis should constitute an opportunity for a shift in the way Israel regards the world. The Coronavirus crisis is a strategic crossroads for renewed solidarity, initiatives and cooperation in the regional and international arena. Such an approach should be based on several layers.

1.Sharing with others: Israel has achieved admirable progress in various fields. It is important to share the unique knowledge we have amassed and developed with neighboring states and with those further away. There is no need to keep boasting of Israel as a “startup nation”, but Israel should significantly expand the foreign aid component of its foreign policy.

2.Highlighting opportunities alongside threats: The world appears to have internalized the “threat list” that Israel skillfully presented. Without making light of them, the array of opportunities presented in recent years in terms of joint interests with the states of the region should also be emphasized. There are numerous options crying out for cooperation with other states, not only in response to threats but also in taking advantage of opportunities in environmental protection, water, health, immigration and energy, to name a few. The immigration crisis, for example, requires a joint effort to stabilize the situation, but also provides an opportunity for joint plans to allay understandable concerns and help create a supportive rather than a threatening and argumentative climate.

3. Regional cooperation: Recent years have presented Israel with fascinating potential for regional cooperation. Israel’s initial steps to take advantage of this potential were in the right direction, but they must be deepened and extended to the entire Middle East. While the Arab Spring did not generate the hoped-for strong currents of democratization, it did create a more conducive foundation for cooperation between Israel and key Arab states, as well as a sense of a shared fate vis-à-vis the many challenges we face.

4. Open dialogue with the Palestinians: Recent days have underscored the necessity for tighter coordination and cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. It is very important to take advantage of the opportunity offered by the Corona crisis to return to a format of broader dialogue, empathetic and deep, between the sides. Its outset is in the Covid-19 exigencies; its aftermath is in examining ways to break through the impasse in the diplomatic arena.

5. Good neighborly relations with Europe: In recent years Israel has focused on criticism by Brussels, taking a confrontational stand toward the European Union (EU) and presenting its weaknesses (prompted by economic, diplomatic and social challenges) as an opportunity. Israel must realize that the geographic, economic and cultural realities linking us to Europe are an asset and not a liability. Good relations with the EU do not contradict Israel’s strategic relationship with the US, even if they appeared to do so for a short while.

6. A foreign policy based on initiatives and vision: Perhaps most importantly, Israel must replace its defensive and blocking posture with a foreign policy that takes the initiative and lead. Israel should present a vision of its own for life side-by-side in the region, based on the positive common denominator, rather than on the negative. By its very nature, the road to realizing a vision is tortuous and pitted, but it also contributes to a constructive and less threatening atmosphere, and to charging the regional climate with positive energies, with or without natural gas.

Michael Harari served as Ambassador of Israel to Cyprus, from August 2010 – August 2015