However imperfect things may look close up and however ‘non ideal’ things are, it is good that you have a home and that most of your people are willing to defend it.
The anti-Zionist of today has this in common with the anti-Semite of yesterday. They tell lies (different kinds) about your people that lead to murder of your people.
Looking from a distance what has been achieved through your people is remarkable.
The general orientation of this blog is going to be positive and constructive, but the first half a dozen posts will be more negative in order to lay out the problems that need to be solved.
I also plan on being roughly as critical of anti-Zionists as Zionists, probably more so because of my intense disgust for most of them. One goal of this blog is to show Jews who aren't feeling Zionism that they don't have to be anti-Zionists, they can just not be Zionist.
It's been a year and a half since you wrote it, but it seems to be a "defining post" for your blog/substack, so I will write this comment here. I found you today just because Richard Hanania, whom I appreciate, seems to appreciate someone ("deep left analysis") who recommended you. Otherwise, as a relatively proud Israeli citizen, I wouldn't scroll down up to that point, certainely after reading some titles of your posts. But now that I read this, I think I can say I won't be interested to follow you, but I can recognize a potential for constructive discussion.
My perspective here is that on a person who, as a child, already started to deslike the philosophical aspects of ethnic nationalism and their manifestations in my country. It led me for a while in disrespect for the Israeli right and seeking answers with the left, while defining myself in a similar way to you - not a zionist. And to a large extent, this definition is still just as relevant. To an extent, I don't really disagree with this post of yours. It's just that...
The Israeli left offered no solutions. As I moved to study about free markets, libertarianism and other ideologies (btw, recommending Ayn Rand's objectivism to everyone!), I never came to belong in the Israeli right and submit my mind to them. I just realized it's completely not sugnificant. Israel has flaws and dangers, but I was born here and that's the country where I get basic individual rights by default. My family is here (and has real estate here). It's a liberal democracy, and I hope it can get better. Even if not, I'm not pessimistic.
It's valid to criticize silly historical Zionist nerratives, just like silly American misconceptions about history. It's valid to criticize the Israeli right's nationalist framework of thinking, just like the American right's social conservatism or the left's model of welfare state. But in that context. I support non Jewish (and non Muslim) immigration to Israel, and separation of religion and state. The thing is, it's not just important.
It's not just that the distinct anti zionists are horrible, and the Arabs are "hard" to just negotiate with. "Moderate" criticisms of Israeli policies are usually problematic too, if not completely detached from reality, and are also influenced by this dynamic of more horrifying anti zionists. You can say some common Israeli arguments are silly, but when someone pops up and says "yeah, hasbara is bad", you should already understand where they are standing. It's just not that relevant.
So basically, I'm a "non zionist" just like you, but I think Israel should defend itself brutally and occupy the Palestinians. And the discussion on wether we get non Jewish immigrants, or wether we integrate the Palestinians as Israelis after 40 years of re-education, is a legitime, standard inner discussion in a western country that "hasbara critics" and even most western center - leftists aren't in the proper intellectual position to take part in.
Interesting start and I hope to read more...
I’m a Zionist and a gentile.
However imperfect things may look close up and however ‘non ideal’ things are, it is good that you have a home and that most of your people are willing to defend it.
The anti-Zionist of today has this in common with the anti-Semite of yesterday. They tell lies (different kinds) about your people that lead to murder of your people.
Looking from a distance what has been achieved through your people is remarkable.
Keep going and don’t be too negative.
The general orientation of this blog is going to be positive and constructive, but the first half a dozen posts will be more negative in order to lay out the problems that need to be solved.
I also plan on being roughly as critical of anti-Zionists as Zionists, probably more so because of my intense disgust for most of them. One goal of this blog is to show Jews who aren't feeling Zionism that they don't have to be anti-Zionists, they can just not be Zionist.
I hope you have a roadmap for getting rid of the unbearable cringe that is Hasbarah.
This is the way. All of my smart friends have got to this point.
It's been a year and a half since you wrote it, but it seems to be a "defining post" for your blog/substack, so I will write this comment here. I found you today just because Richard Hanania, whom I appreciate, seems to appreciate someone ("deep left analysis") who recommended you. Otherwise, as a relatively proud Israeli citizen, I wouldn't scroll down up to that point, certainely after reading some titles of your posts. But now that I read this, I think I can say I won't be interested to follow you, but I can recognize a potential for constructive discussion.
My perspective here is that on a person who, as a child, already started to deslike the philosophical aspects of ethnic nationalism and their manifestations in my country. It led me for a while in disrespect for the Israeli right and seeking answers with the left, while defining myself in a similar way to you - not a zionist. And to a large extent, this definition is still just as relevant. To an extent, I don't really disagree with this post of yours. It's just that...
The Israeli left offered no solutions. As I moved to study about free markets, libertarianism and other ideologies (btw, recommending Ayn Rand's objectivism to everyone!), I never came to belong in the Israeli right and submit my mind to them. I just realized it's completely not sugnificant. Israel has flaws and dangers, but I was born here and that's the country where I get basic individual rights by default. My family is here (and has real estate here). It's a liberal democracy, and I hope it can get better. Even if not, I'm not pessimistic.
It's valid to criticize silly historical Zionist nerratives, just like silly American misconceptions about history. It's valid to criticize the Israeli right's nationalist framework of thinking, just like the American right's social conservatism or the left's model of welfare state. But in that context. I support non Jewish (and non Muslim) immigration to Israel, and separation of religion and state. The thing is, it's not just important.
It's not just that the distinct anti zionists are horrible, and the Arabs are "hard" to just negotiate with. "Moderate" criticisms of Israeli policies are usually problematic too, if not completely detached from reality, and are also influenced by this dynamic of more horrifying anti zionists. You can say some common Israeli arguments are silly, but when someone pops up and says "yeah, hasbara is bad", you should already understand where they are standing. It's just not that relevant.
So basically, I'm a "non zionist" just like you, but I think Israel should defend itself brutally and occupy the Palestinians. And the discussion on wether we get non Jewish immigrants, or wether we integrate the Palestinians as Israelis after 40 years of re-education, is a legitime, standard inner discussion in a western country that "hasbara critics" and even most western center - leftists aren't in the proper intellectual position to take part in.
You could say that they are implicitly non-Zionist.