Ben Gurion, the Nordic Countries and the Neutral Bloc

This chapter sheds light on one of the less-known plans devised by Israeli Prime Minister David Ben Gurion, together with other senior officials at the Foreign Ministry, to get closer to (and maybe even join) the neutral bloc founded by the Nordic states at the start of the Cold War, as a means to alleviate Israel’s international isolation. Throughout the chapter it becomes clear that the constructive relationship between the countries was founded on strong ties formed between members of the professional ranks, especially between the labor unions and cooperatives, and less on the ties formed between the politicians. Additionally, it focuses on these countries’ shared yet unique foreign policy patterns and demonstrates the influence of common social-political values on the development of inter-state relations.