There's no such thing as Zionism Lite

November 14th, 2019, West Jerusalem

by Kathryn Shihadah

Based on my recent visit to Israel/Palestine, I recently published a couple of blog posts called “Zionism isn’t ‘simply’ anything” and “The other occupation – Zionism,” challenging the conventional “wisdom” that reflexively and uncritically supports Israel.

My intended audience for these posts is folks who want to support the Palestinian call for justice, but perhaps are unsure about how to answer their detractors. I also hope to reach people who simply want to learn about the Israel/Palestine issue.

Sometimes supporters of Israel also read my posts.

Well, in these two posts, I discussed the devastating effect that Zionism has had on the people of Palestine. I postulated that the Zionists are unwilling to consider the suffering their ideology has brought on Palestinians because their minds are captive to Zionism:

Perhaps today’s Zionists…harbor no personal animosity toward Palestinians, but that is irrelevant. The Jewish homeland they support requires the subjugation and/or removal of Palestinians. Zionists have an obligation to bring an end to the injustice.

This didn’t go over well at all with some Zionist readers. They insisted that Zionism is only about supporting the right of Jews to a homeland in Palestine, and has nothing to do with Palestinians. This, of course, is ludicrous, and I pushed back, as did a Palestinian reader. She contended,

Zionism is not simply supporting Jews to a right of a homeland...it's displacing millions, genocide, land stealing, occupation, torture, child imprisonment, violating UN laws, etc etc and the list goes on.

I added,

“Zionism by nature involves Palestinians losing EVERYTHING.”

The response from Zionist readers?

“Please do not define my Zionism for me.”  “You don't get to tell me what Zionism means.”

As an ally for the Palestinian people, I have to say, excuse me?

Usurpers don’t get a pass

There is no denying that white colonists built the United States on the land of Native Americans, and established the nation’s prosperity on the backs of enslaved Blacks. And there is no denying that Zionists created Israel at the expense of Palestinians.

As a white American, I don’t get to distance myself from the damage white Americans have done. I didn’t kill indigenous people or own slaves, but my people did both, and because I enjoy white privilege, those populations have not recovered.

Furthermore, it would be reprehensible for me to say to them, “you don’t get to tell me” about the massacre and enslavement of their people.

But this mindset of essential innocence is necessary for Zionists. It is a tool that enables them to enjoy the victory and its spoils without the guilt. It’s Zionism Lite.

But that doesn’t work in the real world. You don’t get to choose some aspects of Zionism and discard the rest. In the real world, you – eventually – have to take responsibility for the messes with which you align yourself.

Today, white folks who dismiss the very real catastrophes of the Native American genocide and the enslavement of the Black population, are themselves dismissed as ridiculous and racist.

It’s time for Zionists to face the facts about what their ideology has wrought – or acknowledge their racism.

This is not an anti-Semitic statement.

Israeli soldiers were reportedly pursuing Ezzadin Tamimi over stonethrowing [File;Mussa Qawasma/Reuters]. One soldier struck the 21-year-old with three bullets to the neck from a distance of around 45 metres, according to Palestinian activists. Villagers said paramedics were prevented from treating Tamimi as he bled out from his wounds. He died.

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RELATED READING:

First Person: the other occupation - Zionism

First Person: attack on Gaza

Zionism isn't "simply" anything

Questions from a Zionist - and some answers