It’s not about us: Jewish anti-Zionism demands clarity
JVL Introduction
When Rima Najjar says:
Jewish anti-Zionism becomes politically meaningful only under specific conditions, which include confronting real centers of power, including governments, arms manufacturers, banks, courts, media institutions, and universities. This also means rejecting the tendency to treat Jewish voices as authorizing Palestinian claims
We must listen.
While acting as an anti-Zionist is, for a Jew, essential for self-resect, that is a welcome side-effect not its main purpose. JVL has always sought to employ its anti-Zionism to create space for Palestinian voices to be heard without being demonised as antisemites. Zionists seek to portray Jews as monolithic in their support for Israel; JVL, along with our allies in the Jewish bloc for Palestine, disrupt that false narrative.
We aim to demonstrate that many Jews oppose Zionism and Israel’s apartheid, occupation and genocide, so show that to oppose Zionism is not to hate Jews. Our Jewish voices make it more difficult to mindlessly equate anti-Zionism with antisemitism and make it less difficult for Palestinians to speak autonomously about their experience of Zionism without being instantly and conveniently condemned as antisemites. By being modest in our self-regard we can hope to escape being unintentional reinforcers of an imperialist worldview.
MC
This article was originally published by Mondoweiss on Sun 25 Jan 2026. Read the original here.
When Jewish moral reckoning overshadows Palestinian liberation
As Jewish anti-Zionists gain visibility, there is a danger of viewing the Gaza genocide solely as the backdrop for a Jewish reckoning. Instead, we must center Palestinian history and demands, and Jewish anti-Zionists have an important role to play.
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Over the years, I have argued – rarely with hope that the argument would be rational and reasonable – with Jewish Zionists who have always confronted me with my supposed betrayal of the Jewish people, and have challenged me to deny the truth of their version of how and why Israel came into being. It’s impossible to direct the debate – if that’s the right term – towards the plight of the Palestinians because they just don’t accept that the Palestinians have anything to complain of; and in any case, Palestinians are antisemitic so I must be antisemitic for supporting them. So, while they are very insistent that I don’t know what it feels like to be a Jew in Israel, it is impossible to suggest to them that they don’t know what it’s like to be a Palestinian in Palestine. They don’t care. And yet, as this article makes very clear, this whole argument is about the Palestinians who have been in the past driven into silence, not about we Jews who are free to say whatever we want. It’s as if there’s a wall there, Jews on one side, Palestinians on the other; and while the Palestinians are largely trapped behind it, the Jews are quarreling about whether or not it should be knocked down. We anti-Zionist Jews have been forced to be self-referential because of the stubborn refusal of our Zionist fellows to perceive that they are not the only ones who deserve consideration. We have become used to arguing with them about them; the reality of Palestinian life becomes a side-issue. That has to change; and I am glad that so much work is being done to make sure that it takes centre-stage. If this debate is not about Palestine, it is about nothing.
there’s a new anti-anti-Zionism bandwagon-jumper Wunderkind on the block
Adam Louis-Klein: Why anti-Zionism is the newest hate movement | The Times of Israel
Adam Louis-Klein – Complicit in Apartheid | Reverse Canary Mission
What I don’t like is the attitude of MPs from all Parties to those MPs who rightfully condemn the Israeli Government . They cannot get it through their Heads that that by using antisemitism as a weapon to accuse those who Condemn the Israeli Government for the crimes they are carrying out against the Palestinian People Just rimes like we should all Condemn any Government is responsible for War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity
I am fed up having posts removed on Facebook for Condemning the Israeli Government And see others accused of being Antisemitic just for doing the same and Condemning the Israeli Government .This has got worse since Starmer came to office .I remember writing in to the Labour to tell them how disgusted I was When member of the JVL were suspended from the labour party without knowing why And sadly some of those died not knowing what they were being accused of This was an utter Disgrace by the Labour party to do this and they should hang their Heads in Shame And their comments about not being the right kind of Jew for rightfully Condemning the Israeli Government for what they were doing to the Palestinians.
What I could not understand is why no one attacked the Labour Party by Bringing up the Genocide Convention of 1948 of which the Labour Government are Signatories of that Convention And by being Signatories of the Convention they are Obligated to fulfil their Obligations of their membership. Of which includes to Stop or Prevent a Genocide. They are also obligated to Shut down any company found to be manufacturing Weapons or Parts that you know will be used in a Genocide . And to prevent those Weapons reaching their destination were that Genocide is taking place.
This is
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Sadly I think this is true and important. I protest for my own self-respect, but since 2023 my belief that just by speaking out ‘as a Jew’ might possibly help to change things has dwindled ever further.(That’s why BTW I don’t decry David Miller’s embitered remarks about people like us).
However, I’m intrigued my the statement that “Jewish anti-Zionists now occupy positions of visibility inside institutions that long excluded Palestinians”. Where, please? Not in the UK as far as I know…
The lines have been blurred by Zionist propaganda over the years.
Judaism is a religion.
Jews are an ethnic group and also a religious group.
A large minority of Jews are not religious.
Around one third of the Israeli population are not ethnically, nor religiously Jewish.
The land grab dates back to the Balfour Declaration. Zionists took advantage of the plan and are supported financially by wealthy American Zionists.
These wars are a product of post colonialism, same for India/Pakistan, many African countries, Cyprus and so on.