Zionism Is Dead And Kicking
by Gilad Atzmon
Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012
In a recent Haaretz article, leading Israeli columnist Gideon Levy affirms that Zionism is pretty irrelevant as far as Israelis are concerned. Similar to the line I myself develop in The Wandering Who, Levy contends that Israelis do not understand what Zionism stands for. For them it is an archaic notion.
The meaning of it is simple. That which seems as a vivid ‘Zionist’ / ‘anti Zionist’ debate is in practice an internal Jewish Diaspora quarrel with no significant practical meaning.
Levy writes, “In 2012, the 64th year of the (Jewish) state, no one even knows for certain what remains of it (Zionism), what the role of Zionism is and how it is defined.”
“Who is a Zionist?” asks Levy. “The truth is that there is no answer. Not because Zionism was not a just cause – it was, even if it was tainted by unnecessary injustices, and not because it didn’t succeed. It was the greatest national success story of the 20th century. But that century is over and its greatest success story has been established. The national home arose, and now it is a regional power. Anyone who wanted to – about one-third of the Jewish people have – join it, and the door remains open to the rest.”
Zionism was clearly a Judeo-centric revolutionary idea, but as it seems, it achieved its goal in 1948. Hence, it isn’t surprising that contemporary Israelis fail to grasp the meaning of Zionism. If early Zionists promised to transform the Diaspora Jew into an civilised being, the Israelis, for some reason, see themselves as ‘civilised subjects’. They at least in their eyes, are the post revolutionary products.
Hence, Levy argues that “Zionism is no longer relevant, and its place is in the history books alone.” He suggests that “Zionism’s way has been lost to us (the Israelis). That was inevitable, because it has completed its task.”
Similar to the line of thought I develop in The Wandering Who, Levy also differentiates between Israeli patriotism and Zionism. “Anyone who contributes to the state is a worthy citizen and a decent patriot. Anyone who contributes to its institutions is a philanthropist – this has no connection to Zionism. Anyone who is required to serve in its army, exactly like anyone who is supposed to pay taxes to it, is fulfilling his legal obligations. This has no connection to Zionism or its values.”
However, as much as Levy is correct in his reading of the Israeli and the Israeli society, it may be possible that, being an Israeli, he misses the role of Zionism as a Jewish Diaspora collective symbolic identifier. The Jewish State has a clear and significant function within the contemporary Jewish Diaspora discourse. The vast majority of Diaspora Jews and Jewish institutions identify or affiliate with Israel and support its cause. It is also true that some Jews, are critical of Israel and its policies. A few of these Jews identify themselves as ‘anti Zionists.’ Yet, bearing Levy observation in mind , the meaning of it all is that the debate between the Zionists and their Jewish opponents (i.e anti Zionists) has very little political significance for Israelis, Israeli politics and even Palestinians. This debate is there to help Diaspora Jews to identify themselves politically, spiritually and socially. It has very limited practical or pragmatic meaning if any at all.
But it also seems as if Levy ignores the huge impact of Zionist and Lobbies within Western politics. In the USA, it is AIPAC that dominates the country foreign policy. Here in Britain, 80% of the leading party’s MPs are CFI members (Conservative Friends of Israel). The situation in France and Canada is similar. So as much as Zionism is foreign to Israelis, it is pretty relevant for Diaspora Jews.
With AIPAC pushing in the open for an American attack on Iran, Zionism seems to be a serious threat to world peace. And yet, somehow, it is the so-called Jewish Anti Zionists who go out of their way to silence any criticism of Zionist lobbies and Jewish power within Western politics.
As much as Levy is correct in suggesting that Zionism may be dead for Israel, it is certainly alive and kicking in the West. It is probably the most influential and dangerous political school of thought. Especially because it has managed to drift away from the relatively modest notion of a ‘promised land’ into a globally belligerent expansionist ideology aiming at a ‘promised planet.’
Posted by Gilad Atzmon
on May 2, 2012. Filed under Israel.
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11 Responses to Zionism Is Dead And Kicking
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gantonius
May 2, 2012 at 2:45 pm
Quite right, Zionism is dead and kicking, as long as it is the “state of the Jewish people”, the essential Zionist fiction. Israel is a colony, of the Jewish People, not of another state.
Ariadna Theokopoulos
May 2, 2012 at 7:59 pm
” Israel is a colony, of the Jewish People, not of another state.”
I agree with you in part and I also agree with Gilad, in part, when he says that Israel is not a colony in the traditional sense, not having a “mother state.”
I think that JP (Jewish Power) is a world colonialist project that could be well represented graphically by an image of many-armed Shiva
http://www.art.com/products/p11721455-sa-i1346960/shiva-with-many-arms-and-heads-angkor.htm
framed in a Magen David.
Israel is a colony AND a mother state, just as the Jewish Lobby in the US or the UK or centers of JP anywhere in the world of Jewish diaspora are reciprocal colonies and mother states, all fathered by JP.
The famous line in the movie Chinatown can well be Israel’s description of the diaspora JP and vice versa:
“I’m her mother. I’m her sister. Her mother. Her sister.”
Gilad Atzmon
May 2, 2012 at 9:13 pm
Ariadna, i also partially agree, JP is indeed significantly forceful, yet it isn’t colonial.
It has been mobilizing colonial forces for a century. It is a unique form of tribalism driven by racial brotherhood. Marxist materialist terminology is not going to help us here.
By the way, the relationships between the West Bank settlers and the Jewish State can be easily defined in colonial terms. So we see some colonial elements in Israel. But not where we expect to find them
Gilad Atzmon
May 2, 2012 at 9:06 pm
I do understand how frustrating it is to find out that our jargon is completely misleading.
Now if you want to argue that Israel is a ‘colony’ of the Jewish people, I am happy to go along with it, but we then want to verify what is this ‘Jewish entity’…
searching
May 2, 2012 at 5:16 pm
‘It is probably the most influential and dangerous political school of thought.
Especially because it has managed to drift away from the relatively modest notion of a ‘promised land’ into a globally belligerent expansionist ideology aiming at a ‘promised planet.’”
It is truly diabolical/satanic endeavour .
To overpower the whole planet, to destroy its people according to their will/wish. Satan HATES not only God but los God’s creation that is people and the planet Earth itself. He always conspired to destroy them both. Did he find His willing executioners??
Only if one acknowledges the real existence of the invisible , spiritual world ,in which the Dark Powers constantly try to overpower/destroy us, one will be able fully understand what is going on in the world right now.
Satanists know that. They KNWO that Satan exists, they know that God exists. Yet, they are choosing Satan as their master because he promises them lots of everday goodies. They fall for it and……….
searching
May 2, 2012 at 6:42 pm
“One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them,
One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them”
I wonder sometimes if Tolken, while writing his “Lord of the Ring” Trilogy ,did not have some kind of prophetic visions.?.
who_me
May 3, 2012 at 6:47 am
with regard to the colony theories, I wonder what would happen if one of the more important diaspora jewish oligarch families, such as the rothschilds, were to turn against israel, what would happen? Would they be “terminated”? ruined financially? have certain of their many criminal activities suddenly exposed?
Blake
May 5, 2012 at 11:02 am
As long as Gideon Levy ignores the plight of the Palestinian people who never consented to be occupied by foreigners I can no longer respect his point of view, no matter how liberal, as it still smacks of conceit.
Deadbeat
May 8, 2012 at 12:24 am
With AIPAC pushing in the open for an American attack on Iran, Zionism seems to be a serious threat to world peace. And yet, somehow, it is the so-called Jewish Anti Zionists who go out of their way to silence any criticism of Zionist lobbies and Jewish power within Western politics.
The biggest impediment to the anti-Zionist struggle (and to humanity’s salvation) are Jewish Anti-Zionists that dominate left-wing discourse. Therefore the question needs to be asked what their their aims, and where are their hearts
That is where the debate and confrontation must be.
Ariadna Theokopoulos
May 8, 2012 at 12:42 am
There is a Deadbeat I always read with pleasure AND profit on ICH– I hope you are that Deadbeat– if so great to “see” you again.
Jay Knott
May 8, 2012 at 12:52 am
Hey Deadbeat – you’re not dead, and you’re not beat! Welcome on board brother!