Understanding the Evolution of Violent Political Repertoires: A Genealogy of Far-Right Religious Nationalist Violence in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories

Whilst widely discussed in the literature on contentious politics, ‘repertoires of contention’ are less frequently applied to interpreting the evolution of particular forms of political violence. By analysing the violence of far-right religious nationalists in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, this paper charts the evolution of a very particular tactical repertoire. Characterised by low-level intimidation and violence, vandalism, arson and graffiti, understanding the genealogy of this repertoire offers insights into how and why specific forms of political violence emerge in particular settings. Analysis suggests this repertoire’s origins lie in the 1960s civil rights movement, aspects of which were adapted by the Jewish Defense League in New York, and exported to Israel with Meir Kahane and his adherents. The transnational nature of the case allows comparative insights into how similar forms of violence were interpreted and addressed in very different settings: from civil rights era Brooklyn, to post-Oslo Israel.