Neo-Zionism

Template:Short description Template:Pp-extended Template:Conservatism in Israel Neo-Zionism (Template:Langx) is a far-right, ultranationalistic, and religious ideology that appeared in Israel following the Six-Day War in 1967 and the capture of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Neo-Zionists consider these lands part of Israel and advocate their settlement by Israeli Jews. Some advocate the transfer of Arabs not only from these areas but also from within the Green Line.

The term "Post-Zionism" entered Israeli discourse following the publishing of a book by Uri Ram in 1993. In the same volume, Gershom Shafir contrasted Post-Zionism with what he termed Neo-Zionism. In a widely cited 1996 essay, sociologist Uri Ram used the term Neo-Zionism to describe a political and religious ideology that developed in Israel following the 1967 Six-Day War.Template:RpTemplate:RpTemplate:Rp He considers it as an "exclusionary, nationalist, even racist, and antidemocratic political-cultural trend" in Israel, and that it evolved in parallel with, and in opposition to, the left-wing politics of Post-Zionism and Labor Zionism.

Despite the name, many individuals and groups labelled Neo-Zionist, such as the Hilltop Youth, have rejected Zionism as a false, secular movement or because the Zionist movement failed to achieve full Jewish control over the Land of Israel.

Ideology

Uri Ram contends that Neo-Zionism is not a new phenomenon, instead arguing that it emerged from the Six-Day War in 1967 and the conquest of Jerusalem.Template:Rp Ram contends that Jerusalem is the symbolic capital of Neo-Zionism, while Post-Zionism is orientated around Tel Aviv.Template:Rp It rose with the anxiety following the near loss of the 1973 war.Template:Rp

Neo-Zionists consider "secular Zionism", particularly the labor version, as too weak on nationalism and that it never understood the impossibility of Arabs and Jews living together in peace. Neo-Zionists claim that the Arab attitude to Israel is inherently rooted in anti-Semitism and that it is a Zionist illusion to think living in peace and together with them is possible. They consider Arabs in Israel to be a fifth column and to pose a demographic threat to the Jewish majority in Israel. From their point of view, the only solution for achieving peace is through "deterrence and retaliation" or preferably "transfer by agreement" of the Israeli Arabs and the Palestinian population of the occupied Palestinian Territories to neighboring Arab states.

Uri Ram characterizes both Neo-Zionism and Post-Zionism as reactions to the post-nationalist environment. For Neo-Zionism, "the weakness of Israeli Nationalism derives from his alienation of Jewish sources and culture (...). Only a new national-religious and orthodox coalition [could] cure Zionism of this moral bankruptcy". Neo-Zionists consider all areas under Israeli military control to be part of "the biblical Land of Israel".Template:Rp Neo-Zionists assert that the goal of Jewish statehood is not only about creating a safe refuge for Jews but also about the national-historic destiny of the people of Israel in the land of Israel.

For Uri Ram, Neo-Zionism is a reinterpretation of Zionism that is religious rather than secular. Judaism, instead of being a peripheral cultural tradition, is a core element in his definition.Template:Rp In Ram's formulation, Post-Zionism is globalist and liberal, while Neo-Zionism is local and ethno-religious. Asima Ghazi-Bouillon challenges Ram's classification of Neo-Zionism as anti-globalist. He instead sees some strains of Neo-Zionism as globalist, similar to Neo-Conservatism and Neo-Nationalism.Template:Rp Whereas Post-Zionism was a largely unsuccessful direct challenge to Zionism, Neo-Zionism is instead a challenge to Labour Zionism.Template:Rp Asima Ghazi-Bouillon argues that Neo-Zionism is not entirely an ethno-religious movement but also incorporates a national security discourse.Template:Rp

Ilan Pappé sees four currents which have contributed to Neo-Zionism's rise: The conversion of the Haredim to Zionism; the settler movement combined with the state funding of Yeshivas; the culturally insular and economically deprived Mizrahi community; and finally the integration of Israel into the global capitalist system.

Types and associated movements

Hardal anti-Zionism

A recent ideological faction has arisen among the Hardal community of Israel defined by its rejection of Israeli governmental authority, opposition to secular Zionism, support for Jewish theocracy, separatism, Haredi ideological leanings, and willingness to utilize violence to enforce Jewish control of the Land of Israel.

The faction derives its origins from the Religious Zionist movement, specifically the teachings of Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook, son of Rabbi Avraham Kook. However, due to the State of Israel repeatedly conceding territory to Arab nations and deconstructing Israeli settlements, many followers of Rabbi Kook felt disillusioned with Zionism.

Haredi nationalism

A rise in nationalism is defining a recent ideological current among Haredi communities in Israel. It is distinct from the Hardal, who are not Haredim, but rather Religious Zionists (Dati Leumi) who have adopted aspects of Haredi beliefs and lifestyle.

Zionism has historically been rejected by the vast majority of Haredim in some way, shape, or form for a variety of reasons, mostly due to the ideology's secular origins and the belief that a Jewish state cannot exist in the Land of Israel until the coming of the Messiah. Attempts to synthesize traditional Judaism and Zionism resulted in the creation of Religious Zionism, which was initially uniformly rejected by most Haredi communities.

However, some Haredim, primarily Sephardim, have increasingly adopted nationalistic beliefs, while still holding a wide variety of views on the State of Israel and Zionism. Notably, the Shas party has become increasingly nationalistic, despite previously espousing a form of Haredi non-Zionism. The party joined the World Zionist Organization, a move criticized by their Ashkenazi counterpart, Agudat Israel.

Sephardic chief rabbi, Mordechai Eliyahu, was considered a leader amongst both the Hardal and Haredi non-Zionists. His influence created a bridge between both worlds by Haredizing religious Zionists and nationalizing Haredim.

Otzma Yehudit, a Kahanist political party, has a Haredi department intended to draw support from the increasingly right wing and ultranationalist Haredi communities.

Bat Ayin - Israeli settlement in the Gush Etzion bloc. Many locals follow a unique blend of Chabad, Breslov, and Religious Zionist teachings known by the acronym "Chabakuk".

Hebrew Universalism

Hebrew Universalism is a religious, cultural, and political philosophy that synthesizes aspects of secular Jewish nationalism, Haredi non-Zionism, and Jewish humanism. It is derived from the teachings of the first Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of British Mandatory Palestine, Abraham Isaac Kook. It is entirely distinct from and not to be confused with the trans-denominational, progressive, Jewish religious movement, Jewish Universalism.

In 1920, Rav Kook published a book, Lights of Rebirth, in which he laid out what he considered to be the "three forces" constantly in conflict throughout human history: The three forces he identified were: HaKodesh (The Holy), HaUmah (The Nation), and HaAnshiyut (The Humanist); with each of these forces representing a different camps of Jews within the Yishuv. "The Holy" - Orthodox Jews, "The Nation" - secular Jewish Zionists, and "The Humanist" - General Humanism found among all peoples. Kook believed these three forces must work together to ensure the prosperity and security of the entire Jewish community.

Kook laid out his belief in Lights of Rebirth that secular nationalism as defined in the Western world stood at odds with the Jewish concept of nationhood laid out in the Tanakh. He believed that the stated purpose of Jewish civilization was the betterment of humanity, as stated in Genesis 12:3 in which God tells Abraham "through you, I will bless all of the families of the world". Therefore, per Kook, Jewish nationalism and universalism were intrinsically linked together, allowing for the synthesis of these two seemingly conflicting concepts.

Rav Yehuda HaKohen, a Hebrew Universalist activist and founder of the revived Semitic Action group, believes Hebrew Universalism to be the key to addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the concept of "Semitic Unity". HaKohen is also a proponent of a one state solution, an end to the occupation of Palestine, resettlement of Gaza, Arab civil rights, and addressing the historical crimes committed by the Zionist movement during the founding of the State of Israel. Despite coming from a religious national Zionist background, being a veteran of the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, and a settler in the West Bank, HaKohen has repeatedly called for peace and cooperation between Jews and Palestinians, much like fellow settler activist, Rabbi Menachem Froman.

Israeli monarchism

Israeli monarchism is a political movement that seeks to reestablish the Kingdom of Israel.

Supporters believe in transitioning the State of Israel into a halakhic state where in which the government is ran in accordance with Jewish law.

Representation

Uri Ram uses the Movement for Greater IsraelTemplate:Rp and the Gush Emunim settler movement founded in 1974 as examples of Neo-Zionism and its precursors, Gush Emunim being a hybrid of religion and nationalism.Template:RpTemplate:Rp Ram also labels parts of Likud and the National Religious Party, as well as other, smaller, splinter parties including Yisrael BaAliyah, Moledet, Tehiya and Tzomet as Neo-Zionist.Template:Rp

In the media Neo-Zionism is associated with Arutz Sheva. According to Yishai Fleisher, Arutz Sheva director of programming and founder of the Kumah neo-Zionist lobby, "Zionism is the yearning of the Jewish people to come back to the land of Israel with the creation of the Jewish commonwealth and the era of the third Temple. It's a renewal of lost values, and an answer to post-Zionism. If post-Zionism is the theory that Israel was created and the project is now finished, then neo-Zionism states that we are far from done with the project. The Jewish people are not yet back home, and we have yet to educate Jews to the concept of living a Torah life in the land of Israel."

Some associations in Israel, such as Im Tirtzu, defend Neo-Zionist ideology. Ronen Shoval, founder of the association states that "We need every Jewish heart and Zionist soul. Coordinators and activists of Im Tirtzu are hereby called to the flag. (...) [W]e will turn the Hebrew University into a Zionist society, and continue the second Zionist revolution!" His aims are "to restore Zionism to the center—for poets to poetize Zionism, for the writers to write Zionism, for academia to support Zionism and for the Ari Folmans (...) to make films about our ethos. Just as there are movies about gladiators, we will have movies about Judah Maccabee. What's wrong with that?"

Critics

According to Uri Ram, "Neo-Zionism (...) is an exclusionary, nationalist, even racist, and antidemocratic political-cultural trend, striving to heighten the fence encasing Israeli identity"; a point of view also reported by Gilbert Achcar.

According to Dana Eyal, "[her] country is hijacked by a group of racist religious Jews, who are much more of a threat to Israel than any Arab or Muslim country, including Iran". She gives the example of children of illegal immigrants born and living in Israel for years and that neo-Zionist groups want to see expelled because their presence is un-Zionistic. She thinks that "[t]his very narrow definition of Zionism dictates that Israel is and will remain a racist Jewish state" but also "that in Israel itself there is a (lazy) majority that is far from this. Zionism for us equals patriotism much like it does to Americans; wanting the best for your country, believing in its principals (sic) and defending it when necessary. Only we don't believe in many of the neo-orthodox principals (sic) popping out like mushrooms in the rain. For that matter, we no longer feel very Zionistic in an environment that embraces totality and purity of race (a calamitous similarity to things that should not be named)".

Post-Zionists have argued that Israel must choose between a Post-Zionist future and a Neo-Zionist future. Today, Israeli centrists have come to view both "Post-Zionism" and "Neo-Zionism" positions as threats to their position.Template:Rp

See also

• New antisemitism
• Political ideology
• Self hating Jew
• Kahanism
• Religious Zionism
• Christian Zionism
• Chardal
• Revisionist Zionism
• Zionist political violence

Further reading

Journalistic views about Neo-Zionism

• Gershon Baskin, "Neo-Zionism, Religion, and Citizenship" Foreign Policy in Focus, September 26, 2007.
• David Breakstone, "Zionism isn't what it used to be" The Jerusalem Post, June 21, 2009
• Dana Agmon, "Neo-Zionism -- Israel's True Threat" The Huffington Post, October 12, 2010.

Neo-Zionist authors

• Template:In lang Eliezer Don-Yehiya: "Memory and Political Culture: Israeli Society and the Holocaust". Studies in Contemporary Jewry 9, 1993.
• Template:In lang Eitan Dor-Shav: Israel Museum and the Loss of National Memory, Tkhelet, 1998.
• Template:In lang Avraham Levit: Israeli Art on the Way to Somewhere Else. Tkhelet 3, 1998.
• Template:In lang Hillel Weiss: Defamation: Israeli Literature of Elimination. Beit El, 1992.

Neo-Zionist lobbies

• Kumah
• Im Tirtzu