Liberal Zionism is an inherent contradiction
JVL Introduction
We have posted many articles in recent years proclaiming the imminent death of liberal Zionism.
Why another? Because the tensions within the attempt to combine belief in liberal democratic values and faith in a Jewish state has now reached breaking point.
While liberal Zionists and anti-Zionists differ on many things, including the nature of the nakba and the right of return, Ben Burgis would expect there to be much agreement on ending the occupation, opposing the destruction of Gaza and more.
But in practice, both in Israel and the diaspora, he finds that “liberal Zionists seem to be in awfully short supply”.
They are no longer turning up to protest on the issues that are supposedly core to their principles. Their commitment to the equal humanity of Palestinians seems to have run into the sands.
In part that would appear to be because younger Jews are fed up with trying to square the circle and are no longer to be found amongst them. Since Gaza they can no longer be bothered to try. It’s just so much more intellectually and morally coherent to reject Zionism altogether.
RK
This article was originally published by Jacobin on Wed 3 Dec 2025. Read the original here.
Liberal Zionism is an inherent contradiction
Despite the inherent contradiction between liberalism and extreme ethnic nationalism, many people still refer to themselves as “liberal Zionists.” But when liberal principles come under attack by Israel, they’re nowhere to be found.
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Have these so called “heritage Americans” a clue how ignorant they appear, when the truth is their forefathers stole the land from the Native American people, just as happened in Australia, New Zealand and now with the ongoing Genocide of the Palestinian people.
Agree entirely with Ben Burgis: neither liberalism nor Zionism can lay together in the same political bed. Liberal Zionism is inherently contradictory. It means accepting Israeli colonisation, with the softer “edges”, less overt brutality and subjugation of the native population, and the continuation of apartheid. “Liberal Zionism” is for those who prefer occupation, wearing soft slippers, but maintaining their dominance and comfortable lifestyle. I’m certain I read Tony Greenstein expressing similar sentiments, rather more bluntly, somewhere……..