Anti-Zionism emerged because Israel's dropped socialism for a capitalist economy - opinion

• Published date: 09 April 2024
• Author: FYODOR KUSHNIRSKY
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

The idea of Zionism was developed in the 19th century by Theodor Herzl, who called for the creation of a homeland for the Jewish people in Israel as a reaction to antisemitism and the push for assimilation in Europe. Anti-Zionism is thus a euphemism for anti-Israel. However, because one-fifth of the citizens of Israel are Arabs, the anger is directed at the Jews only. An even more important clarification is that anti-Zionism has been directed at all Jewry, regardless of their nationality. Why has antisemitism exploded now? Was it simply hidden before

In December 2023, the US House of Representatives approved a resolution equating anti-Zionism to antisemitism. Much religious and philosophical thought attributes the existence of antisemitism to the lasting impact of anti-Jewish tropes in early Christianity. Consequently, some left-wing Jews state that antisemitism is prevalent among Christians, a conservative segment of American society. However, the reality is that the condemnation of Jews for killing Christ has been repudiated by almost every Christian denomination.

As a socialist economy, Israel was welcomed by progressive organizations

Anti-Zionism emerged and expanded because of the remarkable transformation of Israeli society since its creation in 1948. The founders, East European socialists, formed the Mapai party, the Workers Party of the Land of Israel, a dominant force in Israeli politics and economy until the 1970s. To the founders, socialism was the dream, an ideal on which to build a paradise: Workers had to join a labor union, the Histadrut, which co-shared ownership of industrial enterprises, banks, transportation, and agriculture with the government. Hired labor was declared an anathema in the kibbutz collective agriculture. Mapai's progressive reforms set a welfare state with mandatory guaranteed income, housing subsidies, free education, and the like.

When Israel was living in a hand-to-mouth economy, it was welcomed by multiple progressive organizations. In 1951 a triumphant admission to the Socialist International (SI) took place. The SI affirmed the right of Israel to exist and called "for negotiations between the Arabs and Israelis to find a permanent solution to the existing problems on the basis of their independence and sovereignty."

Israel did not stay in the socialist column for long. Despite huge bureaucracy, multiple ministries, and the wasteful Histadrut, education and hard work let the nation create a free-market economy and...