the Arab boycott of Israel: economic political warfare against Israel.

Abstract

This thesis examines the effectiveness of the Arab Boycott of Israel from an economic and a political perspective. This study covers the Arab boycott from 1946 until 1990. It demonstrates that economically and politically, the Arab boycott had three distinct phases. The first of these was the period from the declaration of the Arab boycott in 1946 until the 1973 War. The second phase took place between the 1973 War and the 1979 peace agreement between Israel and Egypt. The third phase began with the 1979 Egyptian-Israeli peace agreement and ends in 1990. This study suggests that the boycott was most effective when supported by the threat of an oil embargo in effect between 1973 and 1979. U.S. actions against the Arab boycott were also effective. Finally, this thesis contends that the 1979 peace agreement between Israel and Egypt brought frustration to those who expected that Israel's trade with such a close and large country as Egypt would open a huge trade market. In sum, the Arab boycott did not succeed in destroying Israel's economy, as was its declared intention.