The Zionist communal “we” is broken

JVL Introduction

This video puts to bed the pernicious narrative in which Jewish organisations claim to represent a communal “we” that speaks with one voice in support of Israel, attacking Israel entails attacking Jews and pro-Palestinian activism threatens violence against Jewish people.

Avi Shlaim, Emeritus Professor of International Relations, St Antony’s College, Oxford, explains how Israeli actions feed into divisions among different Jewish groups in this country. Zionist students attacked Jewish activists among those organising encampments expressing their anger at the Israeli assault on Gaza, calling them “not real Jews” because they didn’t support Israel.

David Rosenberg speaks for the Jewish Bloc for Palestine, recalling how the Palestine Solidarity Campaign welcomed the Bloc’s message from Jews condemning all violence against civilians, including Israeli violence against Palestinians.

Data from the Institute for Jewish Policy Research illustrates the increasing polarisation among British Jews, more than a quarter of whom now identify as non- or anti- Zionist. The film refers to the shift away from adherence to Zionism that many Jews have experienced personally over recent years. They are no longer reluctant to name the genocide that Israel is perpetrating and embrace the slogan “From the River to the Sea”.

Dr Brendan McGeever, co-director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Study of Antisemitism, says that when organisations like the BoD evoke the communal “we” they are referring to something that has broken down.

It’s a little unfortunate that the makers of this powerful short film interviewed only male participants, but their repudiation of the repeated charge by politicians and media that protests against genocide are “hate marches” motivated by antisemitism deserves a wide audience.