STUDENTWASHING: A NEW TERRITORIAL STRATEGY IN ISRAEL/PALESTINEGabriel Schwake &Marco AllegraPages 206-223 | Published online: 05 Mar 2024ABSTRACTThe suffix “washing” refers to the practice of portraying controversial actions in a positive light by leveraging progressive principles, often used by economic corporations, organizations, political parties, or governments. This paper introduces and develops the term “studentwashing” to define the deliberate effort to present Israeli territorial development as an attractive, youthful, and unique experience. This portrayal aims to engage larger segments of society in the national geopolitical project while normalizing its settler-colonial aspects as a means to ensure its continuation. While the constant development of new territorial settlements is dependent either on the right-wing religious sector or on the “quality-of-life” settlers, studentwashing is reserved for areas that are not ideological enough for the first nor sufficiently attractive to the latter. Analyzing “student villages” in the Negev, this paper depicts a new territorial strategy meant to enhance the state’s spatial control over the predominantly Arab periphery inside official Israeli borders. Accordingly, this paper offers a new perspective on Israel’s territorial strategies and enhances the general study of geopolitical and geo-economic spatial development.
Meaning, anything Israel builds even within its 1967 lines is a "settlement" and anything Israel does to promote itself is a nefarious plot to fool people.
When corporations, governments, non-profits or individuals advertise their services, it is "promotion." When Zionists or Jews do the same, it is "xomethingwashing" - because it is meant to hide some other evil activity they are doing.
This is another example of academically promoted antisemitism. And it is all over the place.
