Jewish anti-Zionist academic insists Israeli occupation is un-Jewish

Butler's views on Israel and Zionism seem to me totally disconnected from reality. It is years since I heard Israelis speak dismissively of the Diaspora - young Israelis flock there and often remain. Butler strings together the work of wildly different writers who happen to be Jewish and tries to show that they represent 'Jewish values'. Her analysis is laughable and I'm surprised that so sensible an intellectual as Strenger can find anything to praise in her ideas. Perhaps it is a sign of despair at the current state of Israel politics.. Meanwhile, the truth is that Israels government today is alienating Jews in the Western democracies because its policies embarrass them and they fear a resurgence of anti semitism. Many Jewish intellectuals look for an excuse to dissociate themselves from the Jewish state and find it in theories such as those Butler has elaborated. It would be more honest to state their fears and embarrassment frankly, rather than to make capital of their cowardice..

I really think that during the last decade Israel missed the chance for the two-state solution which would have sealed Israeli borders FOREVER. Guys, although it's too late, I am prepared to help in initiating a grassroots movement to reshape history. Please, let's move. Dr_Pourian@yahoo.com

It's nice to know that the subject of Jews in the diaspora and those in Israel is one still discussed in academic circles. I would like to add to the discussion my own thought out conclusions - after which I didn't write a book or articles trying to persuade others to my thinking, but since my experience was very personal and my circumstances fortunate, I moved from the UK to live in Israel. I exchanged the discomfort of UK academia for the comfort of a resident citizen of Israel. No one can deny that the Jews living in Europe over many centuries were oppressed, excluded and eventually massacred. I was born in the UK and among my earliest memories is being told that I had to hide my Jewishness in order to avoid certain nasty goyim, not unlike the advised behaviour for today's Danish Jews. So I was advised to hide my Jewishness from the the gentiles in primary school. But I decided to be proud of what I am and never hid. I suffered antisemitism. One example: At aged 16 the biology teacher sat me separately from the other buys in the class saying scoffingly that he doesn't want to mix the Jews with the Gentiles. I ask Judith Butler: if in 1947 Israel had never been attacked but accepted in the region as a positive thing, and from the beginning there had been peace with her neighbours, thus enabling Israel to advance economically faster and be more able to help the less fortunate populations of the surrounding Arab countries to progress and improve their lives, (as envisaged by King Faisal after the end of Ottoman Empire) and so then Israel would never have had the need for a strong army to defend its population or to occupy surrounding territories, what would Ms Butler have to write about in her critique of Zionism? I submit that her criticism is not one of basic philosophical academic thought leading to a Weltanschuung on solidly though-out ideas, but a result of the circumstances that she finds herself in the era of "Fashionable Israel Bashing". I can understand a non-Zionist as one who does not endorse the idea that all Jews should live in Israel. But Judith Butler describes herself as an "Anti-Zionist". I ask: What does that mean? Is she joining an academic army to destroy the Jewish State and make it into another Arab country where the Jews can be humiliated and oppressed or massacred? Like Syria perhaps? And if not to be destroyed, then what is to be the fate of the people living in Israel if the Zionist State is to be somehow peacefully dismantled? And what comes instead? Many of those who arrived in 1945-1949 to Israel were holocaust survivors - destitute and starving when there was no other country willing to give them succour (let alone fashionable Human Rights or politically correct asylum of nowadays dished out generously to haters and terrorists) - especially not the UK!! They had no mental energy then to consider Zionism right or wrong. They were preoccupied with how to find food, existence and survival. It's all very nice for modern liberal thinkers to look for modes of thought in order to feel happier about how and where they are living and what they think of themselves when they look in the mirrors in the halls of their academic towers. But they must remember that I, and all the Israelis I know have a common mind set of the ever present threats. The country is small. The borders are close by wherever you are. The Arabs, generally speaking, are taught to hate us. Our existence here must still be forcefully protected. Threats must be taken seriously. Where, on her 'academic' slopes of thought, would she place Israeli children born into this current generation, many of whom are grandchildren of holocaust survivors and who, like me, can walk along the street here in the Jewish State with heads held high, unafraid and proud!

Reading comments on this marvelous review of Butler's book, I was struck by people questioning one's Jewishness or Not. Does one now have to have a DNA test to prove Jewishness? How about half Jews with a non-Jewish mother?

I thought that America held the majority of academic quacks. This is is just one more example of education run amuck. This 'lady' professes to offer value but in the end result only offers destruction and evil. In my opinion her wild and crazy objections are so off center from real life that I wonder if she actually lives a normal life. Too much learning doth make thee mad! What a works we live in! The only good from her mad jauntings is that she's able to speak freely without being jailed or beheaded. I guess we should be thankful.

In order to get ahead in the academic world, you need to publish. What you publish and whether it is factual or not is irrelevant. Many of today's Jewish academics in order to advance, must deny their Jewishness and please their audience, usually other academics, tenured, with no connection to the real world. Hence you will find the most biased, anti-Israel, self hating and anti-Semitic Jews among today's so called academics like Butler, the late Tony Judt, Richard Falk and Noam Chomsky. Their contribution to society is nil so they hope to achieve fame by catering to the current anti-Israel crowd that is so prominent among gay leftist Marxist "academics". No one listens to them except other left wing, Marxist, gay "academics". Butler and her crowd are irrelevant and to refer to her as "the most prominent Jewish intellectual today" is rubbish,.

"Diasporic Jewishness". Zionism & Judaism are different religions.

"Jewish anti-Zionist academic" is not news! It's a redundancy!

Political Zionism started after the destruction of the First Tempel. Quoting the Bible "By the rivers of Babel, there we sat and cried when we remembered Zion. Early Modern Zionism was profoundly effected by this legacy of tradition. Secular liberal and some Revolutionary Jews of Eastern Europe combined this with Mystical Humanism of Leo Tolstoy to bring the Kibbutz movement to Palestine(Israel), and formed the foundation of the later state of Israel. Israel is indeed very different from the early vision of late 19th and early 20th Century Zionism, but so is the rest of the world different for better and worst from the visions of that period. Israel is not a perfect nor is Zionism perfect Ideology, but what Ideology is perfect? Is Judith's Butler unnuanced understanding of Judaism and Zionism?

academic verbiage are far removed from the real world.

and in favour of a jewish, secular state in Israel. Can you be palestinian or chinese, academic and against occupations?

I rarely HaAretz because the reporting reveals the jingoism and bigotry that characterizes modern Israeli society, and this disturbs me profoundly. It is refreshing to decide to check in and find truth-telling articles like this.

Jewish Anti Zionism is a Myth Not The Wisest Phil Around By Gilad Atzmon December 09, 2012 "Information Clearing House" - God bless Philip Weiss, the progressive Jewish blogger brave enough to admit in public those things other Jewish ethnic activists prefer to shove under the carpet. A year ago, Weiss was brave enough to confess to me that it is ‘Jewish self interests’ that stands at the core of his pro Palestinian activism. Also, a few weeks ago, the same Weiss was honest enough to announce that his Jewish ‘progressive’ internet journal, Mondowiess, changed its comment policy and “will no longer serve as a forum to pillory Jewish culture and religion as the driving factors in Israeli and US policy.” But this week, the very same Weiss published a new polemic on his website. He now thinks that “it’s time for the media to talk about Zionism.” So, now Weiss is happy to join with the rest of us in talking about Zionism – so long as we avoid discussing ‘Jewishness’. Well, I’m afraid that Philip Weiss may have missed the train since, by now, many of us have already grasped that the time is ripe to talk about Jewishness and the role of ‘Jewish culture as the driving factor in Israeli and US policy.’ Weiss’ logic is no doubt fascinating. This Jewish ethnic activist does provide us with an insight into the level of deceit that is, unfortunately, inherent to Jewish left politics. Weiss thinks Jews should ask themselves whether they really are ‘unsafe’ in America. Well, Weiss must know plenty about ‘safety’ since it was he himself who felt that it may be ‘risky’ to discuss Jewish culture and religion on his own Mondoweiss. “Zionism,” he continues, “draws on a person’s worldview and has a religious character, it supplies meaning to his or her life.” Well again, Weiss should know because, like all Zionists, both overt and covert, he operates within a Jews-only political cell namely “Jews Voice for Peace’ (JVP). For some reason, just like his less enlightened brethren, this very ‘progressive’ activist prefers to surround himself with members of his own tribe. Weiss well knows why the media avoids discussing Zionism, “it would involve a lot of squeamish self-interrogation on the part of Jews,” and Weiss knows what this means. That’s why he, and his Jewish partner Adam Horowitz, banned Jeff Blankfort from commenting on their site – Blankfort was critically discussing Jewish related topics. Weiss couldn’t allow it. Weiss is brave enough to admit that “the acknowledgment of Jewish prominence in the Establishment, and of the power of Zionism, would make a lot of Jews uncomfortable”, but he isn’t bold enough to admit that the problem is far worse, since Jewish anti-Zionists like himself and JVP are relentlessly seeking a similar hegemony within the Palestinian solidarity discourse and openly campaign against prominent activists who challenge Jewish power. Is it possible that what we are dealing with here is a tribally-driven, power seeking tendency that is inherent to Jewish politics? The answer is a categorical yes, and I provide all the relevant information on this in my latest book The Wandering Who. Weiss regards himself as an anti-Zionist while, as far as his language is concerned, he actually manifests every possible Zionist symptom. “Silence” on issues to do with Zionist power is “bad for Jews,” says Weiss. Like any Hasbara parrot he repeats the old mantra of ‘good’ vs. ‘bad’ for the Jews. But then isn’t this just what you would expect from a Zionist? It doesn’t take Weiss too long to drop his political bomb: the silence over Zionist power “allows people who are justifiably angry over our foreign policy to believe that all Jews support Israel.” Here, Weiss is absolutely correct. It is about time to deliver the message to the American people and the entire world – Not all Jews support Israel! In fact, at least two dozen American Jews including Weiss oppose Zionism because, as Weiss confesses, because “it is really bad for the Jews.” If you think you’ve had enough of Weiss’ Judeo-centrism read this: “Zionism came out of the real condition of Jews in Europe in the late 19th and 20th centuries. I can well imagine being a Zionist at other periods of Jewish history. I would have been a Zionist if I had been in Kafka’s circle in Prague in the 19-teens with the rise of anti-Semitism. I would have been a Zionist if I had been born into the family of my mother’s best friend in Berlin in the 1930s.” In this embarrassing passage, Weiss, the so-called ‘anti’ Zionist, actually admits that considerations of Jewish safety would justify the colonization of Palestine. This non-ethical vision is also apparent in JVP’s latest ‘educational’ video. It is clearly consistent with the Zionist take on the primacy of Jewish suffering. Which is exactly what you would expect from a Jew who operates politically within Jewish racially-segregated cells. There is only one possible conclusion – Jewish anti Zionism is a myth. Jewish opposition to Zionism is just another form of Zionism-lite that, just like it’s right-wing counterpart, locates Jewish self-interest firmly at its core. Weiss is a pretty clumsy spin-doctor. He argues that the current militant and totalitarian aspects of Israeli society flow from a ‘Zionist belief system’. Here, Weiss misleads his readers and I think he does this consciously. Israel defines itself as the Jewish State and as the true embodiment of Jewish culture. Its barbarism is the direct outcome of its interpretation of Jewish texts and spirit. If anything, Zionism was born to ‘civilize’ the Diaspora Jew who, certain 19th century emancipated secular Jews found so repellent. So it is not Zionism that makes Israel barbarous, it is the way Israelis interpret their cultural, spiritual and textual heritage. Of course, Weiss is welcome to suggest that there is another possible interpretation to Jewish heritage, but he should be precise and point to those Jewish texts that preach universal ethics and world peace. Weiss reckons that once we should be brave enough to deal with Zionism, “liberal Zionists will be pressed to decide what they believe in more, liberalism or Zionism.” But still I’m puzzled. If Weiss is so open and tolerant, surely he would allow discussion on his own website concerning the Jewish character of the Jewish State. He would invite a discussion concerning the Jewishness of the Jewish Lobby. I believe that Philip Weiss is operating unwillingly and unwittingly as a Zionist fig leaf. He invests all his intellectual energy diverting attention from the root cause of the problem – namely Jewish culture and Jewish identity politics. And why? Probably because of his own unease with is own Anti Zionist Zionist behaviour. Gilad Atzmon is a musician-composer. He is particularly well-known both for his fiction and his political analysis which is widely published. Gilad - New Book: The Wandering Who? A Study Of Jewish Identity Politics Gilad.co.uk

Language is important. As a secular Jew, I think that what Judith Butler is really saying that according to her: 'Today's implementation of Zionism is profoundly not according to traditional Jewish values and ethics'. Why? Because 'Zionism is the national self-determination aspiration of the Jewish People. This aspiration has always been inherent in the daily lives of Jews.' For more see "ZIONISM: What it really is"

Butler is a popular target for ridicule in the US. No respect at all outside of the most fetid academic bullshit studies swamps.

So ... Jews should not have a country of their own ? Definition 1: Where Jews are the majority; Definition 2: Jews as a people/ethnicity or/and as a religion. If Egyptians, Nigerians, French, Peruvians, Jordanians, Pakistanis, Indians ... can have their own country, right ? So, why Jews cannot have their own country ?

Netanyahu will never get over the death of his brother and continues to blame all Palistinians for it.He does not want peace only his perverted form of justice.I believe most Israeli are good people and the only way they can have peace is to elect a different leader.

Jews never lived in a peaceful world and Judaism was never pacifist. In case Butler thinks she can be a Jew and yet want to subdue herself to the goyim so be it but she will not be considered part of the Jewish people. She should have done well to learn more about our history and religion before attacking zionism and seeing it unrelated to Judaism. Pity that a clever woman can be so ignorant.

Having a Jewish State is a dream come ture for many Jewish people. Why do they feel that the world would not benefit from having Jewish people in their society? The world would not like them either but perhaps since you live by the 10 Commandemtns they may benefit. In going off into one corner of the world Hilter, God help us, has won.

There is no morality in being a victim, something many diaspora Jews seem to cling to. Her morality and ethics are those of the ivory tower, that never have to confront the uncomfortable realities of real life.

Those who define Judaism best according to tradition are the rabbis. In the 19th century and during the early half of the 20th century the majority of European rabbis rejected Zionism. The rabbis of the Yishuv in Palestine in the early 20th century even warned the Arabs concerning their perception of the dangers inherent in Zionism. Zionism is a nationalist movement which gained a following at the same time as fascism in Germany, Italy, and Spain gained a following. In fact Jabotinski built his self-image on that of Mussolini's form of Fascism. Herzle's hope of Jewish integration was soured by the Dreyfus Affair---he concluded that Jews would never be accepted wherever they represented a minority; yet he ignored the fact that Jews were successful in Germany and France as in other states around the world and becoming increasingly so over time as the rights of minorities were recognized in the constitution of states. One great French Jewish philosopher, a contemporary of Dreyfus, not mentioned by Butler, and ignored by Herzel was Henri Bergson whose works have great appeal even today. He received a Nobel Prize and was an internationally known philosopher and man of letters. The rise of Nazism in Germany and the Holocaust were events seized by the Zionists to make their case for a Jewish State. They were not concerned with the moral implications of their enterprise---they cared not about the cost but only their objective. In order to pursue their objective they ignored the presence and the reality of not only the Arabs but of 2000 years of historical transformations leading to a pluralistic mix of peoples which is growing day by day. Therefore, Zionism as practiced is regressive and within the framework of existing reality not sustainable.

Far left Extreme acting as traitor.

Deciding whether a course of action is moral or not, has nothing to do with whether it could be called Jewish, Aryan, African, Irish, Chinese, Russian etc. Human behavior can only reasonably be judged in human terms, which apply to people regardless of their ethnicity.

The “barbaric” act of circumcising baby boys. The primordial custom of menstrual separation The defunct need for “Kosher” Are all un-Jewish by modern terms

I would have thought a tenet of being Jewish is what is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That does not fit (at least to me) with zionist theory and practice toward the Palestinians.

Moses, Abraham and Jesus were not a Zionist. They were modest Jews.

Buttler has very limited understanding of Zionisim.She also ignores the reality of Jewish persecution throughout the generation and therefore the need for a secure and stable Jewish State.In the Jewish State you are free to practice your Jewdaisim without fear.She ignores too many historical event in Jewish History.She. is more in love the a Universalist Philosophy to make her criticism of Israel credible

how pathetic to devote yourself to slating one nationalism only....zionism is jewish nationalism, who does she think she is to say that we jews dont have a right to want our own home. why is having your own home un-jewish ?

Before Ms Butlers's Torah, the only people who disputed Pollitical Zionism were Haredim, but ther argurment was that it was a group of people for whom limited goals within a system that placed God out of the picture, that treated the Land of Israel, not as somethng Eternal and Given to the People of Israel for reasons that go beyond "Human History". Ms Bulter and company put Judaism and its connection to the Land of Israel, to Jelrusalem, to the Temple, and all the other symbols as . . . whatever. What Ms Bulter seems to forget that bdefore there was a Yishuv Hadash, there was a Yishuv Yashan. Jews who came on Aliyah from the forteenth century up to the 1881, when the proto-Zionists of Hovevei Zion prompted by Jewish nationalist thinkers like Pinsker, Moses Hess, Alkalai, and others picked up on the nascent nationalist movements of nineteenth century movements--if Italy, Serb\a, Greece, . . . deserve to regain their national homelands, why not Jews? "Il pesiero" anyone?--if you didn't already, that's the chorus of the Hebrew slaves from the opera by Verdi.

Yet another "progressives" hypocrite. For all Bulter's desire for a "soft, feminine" Jewish man, she, at the same times supports HIZBULLAH and HAMAS, which most people consider to be violent, xenophobic, reactionary movements, calling them "progressives". To Bulter, Jewish men are supposed to be "soft and feminine" but Muslims are supposed to be miliatrist jiihadists. Why is this? She really doesn't care about human rights or fighting against "nationalism", she simply hates Jews and Israel and views the two terrorist organziation as the shock troops fighting her war against ZIonism, which happens to be supported by the large majority of Jews, whther Butler likes it or not.

The "Oh so caring" naive academic does not live in the real world of middle east politics. Theory is so much easier than reality.

"This old/new type of Jew could well come to the conclusion that Jewishness is inherently diasporic, by virtue of preferring humaneness over power, and recognition of the other over sovereignty no matter where one lives."Quote Somehow, this always has been my (mis-)conception of jewishness,until I realized what is happening in Israel. Hope,this book might give new orientation and another possibility of "identification" for jews.

Great Article, Great Lady. The ideology that is Zionism today is bordering in the cusp of lunacy and defiantly not a representation of Judaism or what it means to be Jewish. Jews have a right feel protective after what they have been through but that does not mean they do not oppose the occupation or inhumanity. A lot coverage of the occupation is carried out by Jews. The tainted extremism of Zionism has no place in today's world, but peace between people wanting to live together is the only way, less we will destroy each other and there will be nothing left to fight over!