Israel IS an apartheid state: let’s count (some of) the ways

JVL Introduction

Israel claims to be a liberal democracy and expects to be treated as such by the international community. These expectations are unendingly reiterated by that State’s supporters throughout the world and heavy criticism – and more – can land on the shoulders of those who call out Israel for its apartheid nature.  Allegations of antisemitism are likely to be shovelled on to people who use that term.

However, Nelson Mandela famously supported Yasser Arafat and the PLO and Desmond Tutu said that in some ways ‘Israeli Apartheid worse than South Africa’ .

Here Jonathan Cook highlights some of the many ways that Israel operates as an apartheid state – within the Green Line as well as in Gaza, East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Golan Heights that is controlled by the government of Israel for which Palestinians living there cannot vote. Cook starts with Israel’s unique marriage laws and goes on from there.

This article was originally published by Substack on Fri 10 Jul 2026. Read the original here.