Key Takeaways
1. The Land's Dual, Intertwined Narratives
At the end of the day, it doesn’t much matter if King David really built his palace in Silwan, or if the Palestinians are descended from the Philistines.
Deep historical connections. Both Jews and Palestinians possess profound, ancient connections to the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, rooted in history, myth, and religious belief. For Jews, it is the biblical Promised Land, a unifying principle through millennia of diaspora, culminating in the modern State of Israel. For Palestinians, it is their ancestral homeland, inhabited for centuries by diverse peoples who eventually adopted Arabic language and Islamic faith.
Conflicting origin stories. The origins of Palestinian identity are complex, evolving from various ancient inhabitants and later Arab conquests, while Jewish connection is traced to Abraham and subsequent kingdoms. This dual claim often leads to attempts by each side to deny the other's historical presence or legitimacy, weaponizing history, archaeology, and even place names. For example:
- Zionists initially described Palestine as "a land without a people for a people without a land," ignoring existing inhabitants.
- Palestinian leaders have falsely claimed no Jewish Temple ever stood in Jerusalem.
- Israeli maps often omit the Green Line, while Palestinian maps may omit Israel.
A shared, contested future. The intertwined histories mean that neither people can simply erase the other. Acknowledging the profound, often conflicting, connections both sides feel to the land is a crucial first step toward any potential resolution, rather than engaging in futile attempts to prove one claim superior to the other.
2. Zionism: A Diverse Movement Born of Desperation
The goal of Zionism, the idea that the Jewish people are entitled to self-determination in their ancient homeland of Israel, was realized the day, in May 1948, when Israel was established.
A response to persecution. Zionism emerged in the late 19th century as a secular Jewish nationalist movement, primarily in Eastern Europe, convinced that Jews needed a state of their own to escape rising antisemitism and persecution. Theodor Herzl, shocked by the Dreyfus Affair, became its most prominent organizer, advocating for Jewish self-determination.
Multiple ideological strains. Zionism was never monolithic, encompassing diverse visions for the future Jewish state. These included:
- Labor Zionists: Advocated for a socialist society, dominating early Israel.
- Revisionist Zionists: Preached militant territorial expansion, believing in an "Iron Wall" approach to Arab resistance.
- Religious Zionists: Motivated by theological fulfillment, becoming a powerful force in the settler movement after 1967.
- Cultural Zionists: Focused on Jewish culture and peaceful coexistence, a path largely untaken.
A fulfilled, yet complex, vision. While Zionism achieved its primary goal with Israel's founding, the movement's legacy remains contentious. For many, it represents liberation and self-determination; for others, it is viewed as a colonial project that displaced an indigenous population. The question of whether one identifies as a "Zionist" today often serves as a litmus test for one's stance on Israel's policies and existence.
3. Britain's Conflicting Promises Ignited a Century of Strife
The Balfour Declaration made sense for the British, who looked forward to acquiring Palestine for the empire and establishing Britain’s dominance in the Middle East.
Wartime opportunism. During World War I, as the Ottoman Empire crumbled, Britain made conflicting promises to both Arabs and Jews regarding Palestine. The 1917 Balfour Declaration pledged British support for "a national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine, while simultaneously promising to protect the rights of "existing non-Jewish communities."
Arab betrayal and resentment. Earlier, the Hussein-McMahon Correspondence (1915-16) had promised Arab independence in exchange for support against the Ottomans, a promise Arabs felt was betrayed when Britain and France secretly carved up the Middle East in the Sykes-Picot Agreement. This created deep Arab skepticism and fury towards British intentions.
Fueling mutual distrust. The British Mandate (1920-1948) was marked by escalating Arab-Jewish violence, as both communities grew and asserted their national aspirations. British attempts to navigate these irreconcilable demands often led to shifting policies, exacerbating mutual distrust and increasing tensions. The Arab Revolt (1936-39) and the 1939 White Paper (limiting Jewish immigration during the Holocaust) further inflamed the situation, leaving a legacy of unresolved conflict for the nascent State of Israel.
4. 1948: A Birth of a Nation, a Catastrophe for Another
Israel calls the Arab-Israeli War of 1947–48 the War of Independence. Palestinian Arabs call it the Nakba, the “catastrophe” of their dispossession from their land.
A moment of profound divergence. On May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion declared Israel's independence, fulfilling the Zionist dream and providing a haven for Jews after the Holocaust. The next day, armies from neighboring Arab states invaded, aiming to destroy the nascent state, leading to the First Arab-Israeli War.
Mass displacement and dispossession. The war resulted in a decisive Israeli victory, expanding its territory beyond the UN partition plan. However, it also led to the mass expulsion or flight of approximately 700,000 Palestinians from their homes in what became Israel. This event, known as the Nakba, created a lasting Palestinian refugee crisis and diaspora.
A necessary, yet tragic, creation. The establishment of Israel, while a triumph for Jewish self-determination and survival, came at a devastating cost to the Palestinian people. This dual narrative—salvation for Jews, catastrophe for Palestinians—remains a core, unresolved element of the conflict, with the "right of return" for Palestinian refugees posing an existential demographic challenge to Israel's Jewish majority.
5. The 1967 War: A Victory That Created Israel's Greatest Dilemma
What Ben-Gurion said then is still true today. After the Six-Day War, there were three main aspects to Israel’s national identity, what I call “Ben-Gurion’s Triangle”: Israel was a majority-Jewish state; Israel was a democracy; Israel held all this new territory.
A swift, transformative victory. In June 1967, Israel launched a preemptive strike against Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, swiftly conquering the Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, Golan Heights, and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. This stunning victory shattered Arab military power and instilled euphoria in Israel, but it also placed Israel in control of millions of Palestinians.
Ben-Gurion's prophetic warning. Israel's founding father, David Ben-Gurion, warned that Israel could not indefinitely hold the newly conquered territories and remain both a Jewish and a democratic state. This "triangle" dilemma highlighted the impossible choice:
- Annex the territories and grant Palestinians citizenship: Risk losing Jewish majority.
- Annex and deny citizenship: Cease to be a democracy.
- Withdraw from the territories: Remain Jewish and democratic.
The seeds of future conflict. Despite Ben-Gurion's warning, Israel began building settlements in the occupied territories, particularly the West Bank, driven by strategic and ideological motives. UN Resolution 242, calling for "land for peace," became the basis for future negotiations, but the occupation's long-term implications for both Israelis and Palestinians would prove profound and enduring.
6. The Oslo Peace Process: A Brief, Tragic Hope for Two States
Peace you don’t make with your friends, but with your very unsympathetic enemies.
A breakthrough of mutual recognition. The Oslo Accords, initiated by secret back-channel negotiations in 1993, marked a historic shift: Israel recognized the PLO as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, and the PLO recognized Israel's right to exist, renouncing terrorism. This led to the iconic handshake between Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat on the White House Lawn.
A framework for interim self-governance. The accords established the Palestinian Authority (PA) to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza, with the goal of a five-year interim period leading to a final peace treaty resolving core issues like borders, Jerusalem, refugees, and settlements. Rabin, a tough ex-general, was uniquely positioned to lead Israel towards peace, even with his "unsympathetic enemies."
Assassination and collapse. The peace process faced relentless opposition from extremists on both sides. Militant Jewish settlers and Hamas/Islamic Jihad terrorists launched attacks aimed at derailing the accords. The ultimate blow came with Rabin's assassination by a Jewish ultranationalist in 1995, followed by waves of suicide bombings. Subsequent efforts at Camp David (2000) and Taba (2001) failed to bridge the remaining gaps, leading to the Second Intifada and the tragic end of the Oslo era.
7. The Enduring Reality of Occupation and Expanding Settlements
The godfather of the settlement enterprise had decided to dismantle a big part of it.
A permanent, expanding presence. Over 650,000 Israeli civilians now live in settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, built after 1967. These are not temporary outposts but established communities, often indistinguishable from towns within Israel proper, and are largely considered illegal under international law.
Ideology and convenience. Settlement growth is driven by both:
- Ideological settlers: Believe in a divine right to the biblical heartland, often militant.
- Settlers of convenience: Drawn by affordable housing and quality of life, commuting to Israel proper.
The Israeli government has actively supported this expansion through subsidies and infrastructure.
A matrix of control. To protect settlers and maintain control, Israel has built a complex "matrix of control" in the West Bank, including checkpoints, Israeli-only roads, and military bases. This system creates a two-tiered legal reality: Israeli civil law for settlers and military law for Palestinians, severely restricting Palestinian movement and development, and making a contiguous Palestinian state increasingly difficult to achieve.
8. Israel's Democracy Faces Internal Erosion and External Scrutiny
For the last decade or so, the Economist Intelligence Unit’s “Democracy Index” has consistently ranked Israel as a “flawed democracy,” not a full one.
A "democracy recession." Under Benjamin Netanyahu's prolonged premiership (2009-2021), Israel has experienced a "democracy recession," with a right-wing coalition enacting laws and policies that challenge its liberal-democratic founding principles. This includes strengthening the ultra-Orthodox establishment and marginalizing the Arab minority.
Legislative challenges to equality. New laws have been passed that:
- Penalize institutions commemorating the Nakba.
- Allow communities to exclude "undesirables" (e.g., Arabs).
- Restrict human rights organizations.
- The 2018 Nation-State Law, which constitutionally prioritizes Israel's Jewish character over its democratic one, asserting that only Jews have the right to self-determination in Israel and downgrading Arabic's official status.
Arab citizens' struggle for equality. Israel's 20% Arab minority faces systemic discrimination, racial profiling, and political marginalization, despite formal equality. However, initiatives like Resolution 922 (investing in Arab communities) and the rise of the Joint List (a unified Arab political party) show a growing push for shared society and political influence, challenging the traditional exclusion of Arab parties from governing coalitions.
9. The Widening Chasm Between American Jews and Israel
For a long time, American Jews had imagined and related to the idea of an Israel that bore only partial resemblance to the actual country.
From unwavering support to growing ambivalence. Historically, American Jews, safe and thriving in the U.S., initially viewed Zionism with skepticism but became staunch supporters of Israel after the Holocaust and the 1967 Six-Day War. Israel became a central organizing principle for American Jewish identity, with organizations like AIPAC lobbying fiercely on its behalf.
Diverging values and priorities. The collapse of Oslo, the Second Intifada, and Israel's shift to the right, coupled with the rise of a liberal American Jewish generation, created a growing divide. American Jews, overwhelmingly liberal and Democratic, increasingly found themselves at odds with Israel's policies on occupation, settlements, and its alliance with conservative evangelical Christians.
The Trump-Netanyahu era's impact. The "bromance" between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu exacerbated this chasm. Trump's unconditional support for hard-line Israeli policies (e.g., moving the embassy to Jerusalem, recognizing Golan annexation, endorsing West Bank annexation) alienated liberal American Jews, who were appalled by Trump's rhetoric and his perceived tolerance of antisemitism. Netanyahu's embrace of Trump and other ethnonationalist leaders further signaled Israel's disinterest in liberal American Jewish concerns, leading to a significant re-evaluation of the relationship.
10. Navigating the "A-Words": Apartheid and Antisemitism in the Discourse
It’s bad enough what it is without using complicated and imperfect analogies.
The "apartheid" debate. The question of whether Israel is an apartheid state is highly contentious. While Israel proper, with its democratic institutions and Arab citizens in positions of power, does not resemble apartheid South Africa, the situation in the Israeli-occupied West Bank presents a different picture. There, two separate legal systems (Israeli civil law for settlers, military law for Palestinians) and unequal rights based on ethnicity lead some human rights organizations to conclude that elements of apartheid are present.
Defining antisemitism in criticism of Israel. Legitimate criticism of Israel is not antisemitic. However, criticism crosses the line into antisemitism when it:
- Conflates Jews with Israel: Holding all Jews accountable for Israel's actions.
- Denies Jewish history: Erasing Jewish connection to Israel or the Holocaust.
- Employs antisemitic tropes: Portraying Jews as insidious global influencers.
The IHRA definition controversy. The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, particularly its examples, has been controversially adopted by some governments to classify criticism of Israel (e.g., calling Israel a "racist endeavor" or applying "double standards") as antisemitic. Critics argue this stifles free speech and legitimate critique of Israeli policies, especially regarding the occupation and settlements.
11. Christian Zionism: A Powerful, Apocalyptic Alliance
My passion for Israel springs from my Christian faith.
A theological imperative. A significant portion of American evangelical Christians are Christian Zionists, believing that the Jewish return to Israel and the establishment of the state fulfills biblical prophecy, signaling the imminent return of Jesus Christ and the end-times (Armageddon). This belief drives their fervent, unconditional support for Israel.
Political influence and alignment. Christian Zionists, like those in Christians United for Israel (CUFI), are a powerful advocacy group, particularly within the Republican Party. They exert significant influence on U.S. policy towards Israel, often aligning with hard-line Israeli governments and supporting a territorially maximalist vision of Israel, including the settlement enterprise.
A "Cyrus" for the end-times. For many evangelicals, figures like Donald Trump are seen as modern-day "Cyrus" figures—irreligious leaders chosen by God to advance His plan for Israel. This theological framework explains their unwavering support for leaders who deliver on pro-Israel policies, regardless of other personal or political characteristics. This alliance, while powerful, raises questions about the wisdom of shaping foreign policy based on end-time prophecies.
12. Hope Persists Through Shared Humanity and Activism
I have passion for life, and everything on this land is worth living for.
Beyond the headlines. Despite the overwhelming challenges, the intensity of the conflict, and the adamancy of opposing attitudes, hope for a just and peaceful future for Israel and Palestine endures. This hope is often found in the actions of ordinary people striving for extraordinary change.
Voices of courage and collaboration. Individuals from diverse backgrounds are actively working to build bridges, heal wounds, and create a shared future:
- Maisam Jaljuli: A Palestinian citizen of Israel, feminist, and social activist, who fights for equality and against racism, emphasizing the power of Arabs and Jews "standing together."
- Mutasim Ali: A Sudanese political asylum seeker and lawyer in Israel, who, having fled genocide, advocates for human rights and believes in Israel's founding principles of freedom and justice for all inhabitants.
- Gadi Gvaryahu: A religiously observant Jewish Israeli human rights activist, founder of Tag Meir, which brings Jews and Arabs together to counter hate crimes and promote peace and tolerance.
A shared future is the only path. These stories underscore a fundamental truth: both peoples are inextricably linked to the land and to each other. The path forward requires acknowledging shared humanity, investing in connection, and building a society where everyone can live with dignity, security, and equality. The political will to achieve this, though often absent, remains the ultimate key.
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