ABSTRACT
The inception of the periphery doctrine within Israel’s security apparatus had a long-term impact on both the intellectual framework of decision-makers and their institutional rivalries. Because his most influential proponent, Reuven Shiloah, was also the founding director of the Mossad, the implementation of the doctrine gave the upper hand to the intelligence services and the armed forces. The first consequence of these bureaucratic battles was the reliance on clandestine diplomacy. Although it enabled close intelligence cooperation, it hindered Israeli efforts toward public recognition and its normalization in the Middle East. The second consequence was the centrality of the security mindset, in particular the principle of a zero-sum game, as the common approach to the periphery. This posture emphasized the idea of containing the Arab threat to mobilize peripheral partners but failed to build a broader platform for multilateral cooperation.
