The foundations of Zionism were laid during a time when nobody could imagine any other solution of minority or nationality problems than the autonomous national state with a homogenous population; Zionists are afraid that the whole building might crack if they abandon their old ideas. The contrary is true: the building will collapse if we don’t adapt our minds and our ideas to new facts and new developments.
— Hannah Arendt, “The Crisis of Zionism” (February 1943)
[The] fundamental tension between Zionism and liberal democracy cannot be fully resolved within Israel’s borders. But it can, to some extent, be resolved outside them. Were Israel to permit the creation of a Palestinian state that enabled a Palestinian right of return and expressed Palestinian identity in its anthem and flag, Arab Israelis, like diaspora Jews, would have a country that expressed their special character as a people, even if they chose not to live there.
— Peter Beinart, “The Crisis of Zionism” (2012)
I really like Arendt for both the fact that she was moral brilliance personified and that Saul Bellow despised her for the same. But Arendt’s claim that the “foundations of Zionism were laid during a time when nobody could imagine any other solution of minority or nationality problems than the autonomous national state with a homogenous population” is, as we now know, threadbare. In fact, there were a few brave people who did imagine a moral solution. They were silenced and ran over.
It was an amoral, criminal act then and it is in hindsight. Arendt probably said these words to conciliate the intended audience and move them to act upon the present.
Beinart wrote a whole book on why liberals should support the Iraq War. It would have been appropriate for him to revisit those ideas and also critique some of the assumptions he held as a member of the liberal class. Even if he made the case as a liberal Zionist, it doesn’t explain why many liberals supported the Iraq War. Why isn’t he also bothered about the opposing tradition in liberalism that enforces violence?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2001/oct/04/labourconference.globalisation
And what that means now. I feel he has skipped a whole ideology which has never made sense. What would Israel mean as a liberal democracy? Would The Good Fight be good then? That’s not the end.
old facts and old developments
religion has been and most will be the bane of civilization
Jefferson, John Adams, Mark Twain and many many many others have said the same thing more or less…and now with folks creating life, religion just ain’t so magical no mo….with the exception of the truly mystical stuff from the India/China…which seems to be the coming deal…or Solaris…
if one starts to believe they are the “chosen people by God” then you start down the merry path of the nincompoops…which God?…Well the only “true” god…youbetcha…
Mormons seem to solve some of the problem by making everybody a god (goddess)…and Hie to Kolob…Yipppeee!
You kinda start to wonder whether that was the jew problem all along…great until somebody else’s god comes along and beats the hell out of you…
Sure the building will collapse…it’s built on quicksand and nothingness…
“Were Israel to permit the creation of a Palestinian state that enabled a Palestinian right of return and expressed Palestinian identity in its anthem and flag, Arab Israelis, like diaspora Jews, would have a country that expressed their special character as a people, even if they chose not to live there.”
The contradiction within the paragraph. He can’t even call them palestinians. Israel can’t “permit the creation of a palestinian state” because it does not recognise the Palestinians as a people with the right to self determination. They are just Arabs who have 22 countries to choose from . Which is why Israel and Beinart call them Arab Israelis.
The only recognition that Israel can grant the Palestinians is that they are Zionism’s niggers.
Every time I see statements of Beinart’s like the one above I just turn away in disgust at how insulting this kind of childish reasoning is to rational people….it’s, it’s…I can’t find a word for it.
“like diaspora Jews, would have a country that expressed their special character as a people, even if they chose not to live there.”‘
Yea, all diaspora people need a country’ that they don’t live in’ to expresses their special character… and that is the solution for Palestines….give them a few flags and etc. in return for their land and resources…
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