Israel's identity crisis

Israel's identity crisis

Israel which is run by the Zionist government wishes to make Israel a land of Jews. It is one in which Israel administers rights and privileges based solely on ethnicity and religion. Now the question that arises is how can a state remain democratic when it favors the rights of one ethnic or religious group over others?

The ultimate aim of the Zionist movement – pioneered in the late 1800s, and which gained significant traction throughout the 20th and current century – was to "…return the Jewish people to their homeland and the resumption of Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel.  This statement stands as an irony to the democratic nature of the states. As they have a specified drawn line between 'Jewish nationals and Israeli citizens'. Indeed, Israel makes the unique distinction between 'Jewish nationals' and 'Israeli citizens'; the former consists of all persons, both within the borders of Israel and outside, who consider themselves to be Jewish, be it through familial ties, culture or conversion, and the latter who belong to the State of Israel, but who claim no Jewish linkage. This is a novel construct and is often explained by Zionists in terms similar to that of Professor Gil Troy, who posits, "The French have France, Germans have Germany, the Dutch have the Netherlands, Jews have Israel.

This is a misleading assertion.  For instance, the Arabs staying is Israel, although they constitute 20 percent of the population, are long waiting to be given equal rights as Jews in Israel. And, this is done by Arab citizens, on the other hand, feel neglected and discriminated against by the state, particularly on issues of land ownership, resource allocation and political representation. While they enjoy political rights unknown to many in the region, they are largely cut off from the geographical, cultural, economic and political mainstream and subjected to various forms of discrimination. 

And not to forget, the definition of democracy itself suggest that the power is vested in the hands of the citizen equally. According to political scientist Larry Diamond democracy's one key element is that rule of law, in which the laws and procedures apply equally to all citizens. And, yet Israel does proclaims it's a democracy.

 

Ankita Das

20153050