A left wing settlement! What are they thinking of?
JVL Introduction
A left wing, kibbutz-style settlement in the Jordan Valley is being considered by HaMachanot HaOlim, a youth movement that calls itself “socialist-Zionist” (!). The argument they put forward is that “since new illegal settlements will likely be built in the West Bank, it’s preferable to populate them with leftists rather than right-wing settlers.”
It may well not happen but that it is even being considered is illustrative of a distorted mind set. I am reminded of this video of a Palestinian woman in Sheikh Jarrah, East Jerusalem arguing with “Yakov” that he is stealing her home and his response was “if I don’t someone else will”. So effectively what difference does it make?
And, of course, while the settler violence has come from those on the political right, settlements were started under Labour governments, a point addressed well in the article below, although I would question whether Israel’s Labour governments were ever really left wing.
This article was originally published by The New Arab on Thu 27 Aug 2026. Read the original here.
Socialist-Zionist Israeli group plans Jordan Valley settlement to 'ensure left-wing presence'
A socialist youth movement is exploring building a West Bank kibbutz, but critics say its progressive identity does not separate it from the settlement project.
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The left-wingers intending to take over other people’s homes and property demonstrate the same moral failings and inhumanity of the Israeli majority.
If circumstances were reversed, I wonder whether they’d feel happier about armed left-wing squatters kicking them out of their and their parents’ homes than armed right-wing squatters?
What is this – gentrification?