Excellent and important analysis of the implications of the report for raising the old controversy. It was always impressive how thoroughly the equation of Zionism with racism was said to have been discredited to the point of permanent obsolescence,while it has been the elephant in the room. Actually, given the early diversity of Zionist thought (including spiritual Zionists like Ahad Ha’am, for example), it was a bit simplistic as a formula, but it was entirely apt regarding the political and revisionist Zionist camps that dominated the state-building campaign and do so to this day.

Nice here too to recall the venerable Elmer Berger.

Perhaps part of the challenge, in rejecting an apartheid state, is to start building a new “vision” of the “Jewish national home” that can coexist with others in a pluralist state. South Africa remains a kind of Afrikaner national home in this sense – a place where Afrikaner society can flourish without dominating others. Hard to envision in Israel-Palestine, and maybe anathema both to Zionists and to those seriously ticked off about Zionism, but pragmatically necessary in offering an alternative future for the 6 million-strong ethno-national culture that has developed (been orchestrated) in Israel over the decades.

One little correction: the ESCWA apartheid report has not been “withdrawn” in the sense of being retracted. It has only been taken off the UN-ESCWA website. It remains an ESCWA document and is currently being translated into other UN languages. Its debate is pending in other UN forums, perhaps the General Assembly.

Excellent article, thanks for giving it such a careful read and conveying the main points so well ( I’m a co-author of the report).