Israel is becoming a fascist state
Published
by
Richard Kuper
JVL Introduction
Andrew Feinstein presents this extraordinarily disturbing video from Double Down News, showing the extent to which ideas redolent of unbridled fascism are now deeply embedded not just in Israeli society, but also at the heart of its new government.
This article was originally published by Double Down News on Mon 27 Feb 2023. Read the original here.
Israel is becoming a fascist state
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An eldely white male, so eloquently describing the Rascist; Apartheid; Fascist State of Israel, this does not conform to the usual ‘liberal’ trope.
The problem with using the term ‘fascist’ to describe the Israeli settler state is that the violence and oppression inflicted on Palestinians is the norm in colonial occupations.
When Europeans used the term ‘fascist’ to describe events in Europe what was taking place was the importation of the violence and suppression used in colonial occupations to protect capitalism.
So arguing that Israel is becoming ‘fascist’ overlooks that since its inception the Israeli state has, as a norm, inflicted violence and oppression on Palestinians.
What a terrifying development! Even from afar, here in the UK, there’s the dull shock of a singular lack of response coming from the front benches of our main parties. Their silence feels like complicity in that development which, if not internationally challenged, will surely worsen what must be an unbearable reality of life for the Palestinians.
If only the Labour MP Kim Johnson had refused to apologize for her remarks recently to the House. What would’ve happened I wonder if she’d more carefully referred to the State of Israel, as ‘becoming’ fascist? But Labour, silencing a voice sounding the alarm like that! To no wider political consternation, it seems, or media outcry. Just what is Britain becoming?
Keith (above) raises pertinent point re colonial occupation, fascism in Europe. I fear Neoliberalism has long produced ripe conditions for some awful material realities to arise, world over, that our major political parties continue to willfully ignore. Take Kim Johnson also being made to apologize for referencing Amnesty International’s Report of the Israel’s apartheid system! Does study after study by human rights organizations count for nothing with Starmer? To simply say ‘no’ to the Jewish Chronicle’s question last year as to whether he agreed with Amnesty on Israel. It’s disturbing! Such an evidence-free rebuttal, offering no counter argument, no acknowledgment or engagement with those who claim otherwise – does any of this seem familiar?
Yet Starmer is hardly alone. There’s a palpable unwillingness on the part of most UK politicians to recognize, and have debated, issues outside their comfort zone (e.g. gross inequalities of privatization, Israel’s system of Apartheid, war-profiteering). This surely opens the door not just to authoritarianism but to the far right, potentially even to fascism. Do the liberal moderates not see this? Look at what’s coming! For with the combined effect of Neoliberalism imploding, climate breakdown and biodiversity collapse – willful ignorance of material conditions on the ground could become [is fast becoming] the order of the day.
Labour is likely to be the next government. By so significantly narrowing legitimate party debate, political speech and ‘quality’ selection candidates, Starmer dangerously delimits, and hence, weakens British democracy at the same time as he nullifies any voices calling out the State of Israel for those elements in its government overtly embracing fascism.