New Palestine 'Think Tank'

Posted by John Wilmerding on May 13, 2008 at 8:33pm in Israel and Palestine

I'm posting this for analysis and comment. I would like to preface it by saying I believe in a humanistic form of Zionism, a non-state-driven phenomenon and discipline known as Zionism, a Zionism that does not demand another people be displaced and usurped. So I disagree with this article, but I wanted you to see it and for us mepeace folks to discuss it.

For me, it is an example of why political Zionism must be differentiated from humanistic Zionism.

-- John Wilmerding

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Haitham Sabbah, Mary Rizzo and Gilad Atzmon are very pleased to announce their new site, Palestine Think Tank. It is a site containing news, analysis, art and more to further the cause of justice for Palestinians. It concentrates on many aspects of the resistance, but also focuses on the issues affecting the entire Middle East. Please visit us at:

http://www.palestinethinktank.com

... share this news with those who might be interested, and if you have a blog or site, consider linking to us. We also have a forum for those interested in interactive communication.

Together with us are some of the most insightful and talented writers, activists and artists around. Contributors include Khalid Amayreh, Ramzy Baroud, Adib Kawar, Ernesto Paramo, Wael Al Saad, Nadia Hasan, Iqbal Tamimi, Richard Jones, Nahida Izzat, Razan Al Ghazzawi, Khaled Islaih, Steve Amsel, Ben Heine and many more.

http://www.palestinethinktank.com

It contains both original material and material from other sources that we believe deserves to be considered.

We are people from different backgrounds who live in different countries. We speak different languages and believe in different religions, or even believe in no religion at all.

These differences are not a problem to any of us.

Differences are what makes the world a wonderful place, because everyone is unique. It allows us the possibility to learn more about the world and gain insights we would never have access to otherwise.

Celebrating our differences, we understand that there is a belief that unites us and unites all the people involved in creating this web site. It is the belief that Zionism is wrong.

Zionism is racism. For Zionism to happen, it means the ethnic cleansing of the indigenous people of the land of Palestine. We accept nothing about Zionism as being positive, yet we believe there are some people who don't know exactly what Zionism is, and therefore assume it is something different than an ideology, and therefore, is beyond criticism.

We wish to educate those who don't know what Zionism is, so that they are able to see how damaging it is and how it is a just cause to stop it. We hope that

http://www.palestinethinktank.com

... will be a space for free discussion and wide-ranging analysis.

We believe that the just struggle of the Palestinian people is the greatest liberation struggle of our times, and we aim to render service to their cause through presenting as many aspects of their history, culture and struggle as we can. We intend to give space to many Arab voices as well, since the full realization of the potential of people in the entire Arab world has been hindered for far too long by the "International Community". It is far easier to promote an idea of 'the Arab' that cleanses Israel and the West from all responsibility for the instability and lack of progress that in some cases is evident, than to listen to the complex arguments and reasoning that people from these countries and who understand the history of the Arab World are able to present.

We hope to be able to provide a site full of valid content that is at the service of the Palestinian people especially. Their steadfastness is an inspiration to all mankind, and to those of us in particular who feel close to their cause or are Palestinian, it is a message of love, hope and humanity that we hope we are worthy of.

Content of:

http://www.palestinethinktank.com

... is the intellectual property of the authors. All material that does not appear in this site as the original source will always be credited for authors and source.

The material here may be reproduced elsewhere, but we request that you kindly cite our source, and post a link to the page on:

http://www.palestinethinktank.com

... from where it was taken. We will also build up our links and community as time develops, so that we can all work towards our goal with the energy and imagination required.

http://www.palestinethinktank.com

... contains a forum, which is a space to discuss arguments related to the Middle East. We hope that it will allow all of us to broaden our horizons, engage in constructive debate and present a social network that will be useful to all of us.

http://www.palestinethinktank.com

... will be in two languages, in English predominantly, and Arabic.

We accept original articles as well as suggestions for material published elsewhere.

Palestine Think Tank

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by mary rizzo on May 14, 2008 at 11:59am: John, what is Humanistic Zionism? I know about Cultural Zionism, but that didn't stop Buber from living in Edward Said's home while Said lived in exile.

One can have a cultural identity that has its origin in the "ancient homeland", for instance, African pride for Black Americans or Irish Pride for Irish Americans, and so forth, but Zionism itself is different in that it seeks to abandon the "middle step", (for instance, my roots are Jewish Czech, or Bohemian, or Praghe to be specific), and the family was there for centuries. This is our homeland, not anyplace else, but we realise that we should feel nostalgia for that place and not a place that has no roots to our language or lives. This is true for almost all Jews. Israel is a false creation, and Zionism is there to replace the other "homesicknesses" for one that is constructed. What is this Zionism you speak of?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Neri Bar-On on May 14, 2008 at 12:49pm: Dear Mary,

Humanistic Zionism, as Humanistic Hamas exist.

Deny the recognition that a person who has Zionist identity to have a value system that is humanistic is some what "anti-humanistic".

Can we recognize that Humanistic attitude is an open view that all human can access or you think that a Zionist person is not human in his/her value/emotion structure?

I think there is more to Zionism then a simple false identity as you propose (and I do not consider my self as Zionist). I wrote a little bit about the issue here: Community Brain.... Palestine and Israel

Can you see that the claim that Zionism is false fall in the same category of the Zionist claim that Palestine was empty.

If we want one shared future for the people who live here we sure need a way to include them. The 19th century Zionism you describe is not here any more, we are changing our views in Israel, but when people start relate us a "false identity" we get back to protect our identity as a group.

I invite you to open up and recognize that there are about 7 million Jewish Israelis here that as you said will not abandon the "middle step" and as African American are not going back to Africa so the Israel population will stay here. Yes the Palestinian has complex issues that Israel created and yes we must support the Palestinian people at this time but the solution need to include all (and Hamas too).; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by mary rizzo on May 14, 2008 at 3:24pm: What are the characteristics of "Humanistic Zionism". I cannot know anything about it unless someone tells me what it is.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Paul RETI on May 14, 2008 at 4:54pm: Modern Zionism has always been essentially secular. Modern Israel was and (still) is essentially a secular State of the Jewish people. See my definition below. :-)

While modern Israel was and (still) is essentially a secular State of the Jewish people, it was never intended for Israel to be exclusively Jewish. Note that most Arab states now have no Jews, while Israel has a substantial minority of non-Jewish Arabs.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Corey Gil-Shuster on May 14, 2008 at 9:57pm: As Neri explained so well, defining oneself as ‘anti-Zionist‘(as opposed to simply ‘not Zionist’ or ‘post-Zionist’) is problematic if your goal is to make peace with Israelis since almost every Israeli Jew considers him/herself a Zionist as do most Jews around the world. Trying to talk 7 million people out of a part of how they self-identify seems like a waste of time particularly when there are other ways of getting to the same conclusion- peace.
The question is, what is a Zionist? Every person will define that term differently and there are many in Israel and around the world that use the term Zionism to mean very different things. To the majority of Israelis, Zionism is the Jews of Israel having self-determination in our tribal homeland. It is also frequently used to infer pride in our country, a relationship to the land and the Jewish tribe. To Jews outside of Israel, it is the above points and the idea of security of knowing there is a place for them if they are threatened where they live. To many Israelis and Jews, Zionism replaced our religious bond to each other in our secular times. Once you showed allegiance to the group by performing the religious rituals required in Judaism. In the secularizing times of the past 200 years, Zionism (for many but not all) has replaced our connection to one another.
In a sense and from an entirely Jewish perspective (as opposed to a Palestinian perspective), Zionism has nothing to do with the Palestinians who we displaced/occupy. No Israeli I know believes in a Zionism that oppresses or “ethnically cleanses” another people. This is true even for the settlers whose form of Zionism is not accepted today by the majority of Israelis. The fact that in many ways, we are acting as the oppressor has much more to do with the fact that we are in a conflict with the Palestinians (from our perspective, in a desperate attempt for security) and, in the Israeli mind, little to do with Zionism.
To me as a Zionist, I belief we use the term (and the idea of Israel as a “Jewish State” -whatever that means) as a symbol of our identity. We hold on to it and refuse to give up a label which has little meaning in today’s globalized world. We look back on our history of thousands of years of abuse by other groups, holding on to our identity as the eternal victim, constantly striving to never be in the position of weakness. Zionism to me is our security blanket of never letting others abuse us again.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by mary rizzo on May 15, 2008 at 2:59pm: so, where is the humanism here?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Paul RETI on May 15, 2008 at 3:48pm: What do you mean Mary?. Are you asking about Humanism or humane behaviour?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by mary rizzo on May 16, 2008 at 4:44pm: Humanism. This is the term that has been used, so in debate, we stick to the terms to be fair to those to develop their argument.

I do imagine you know what Humanism is.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Paul RETI on May 16, 2008 at 4:51pm: You don't have to imagine, Mary. Just click on the word Humanism in the post to which you responded above..; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by mary rizzo on May 17, 2008 at 10:25am: All that is being described is Israeli and Jewish desire of self-determination.

I repeat, if you do know what Humanisim is, and you know what Humanist Zionism is as far as its characteristics, please list that for me. Do not send me to order some book.

If you believe in something, you should be able to define it without making me do the research.

Permalink Reply by Neri Bar-On on May 17, 2008 at 11:53am: Dear Mary,

I think many here understand that you do not think that Zionist can be humane. We can see that you are passionate about it.

I do not think any one can move you from your rhetoric view and that fact that you repeatedly state that you do not think that Zionism can have humane character is far from touching any argument that I can access.

I see you put a lot of energy in it, and I see you believe you serving Peace and Justice but I think you actually make us waste energy on rhetoric and not investigating the Humanistic complex structure of the conflict.

Both sides loose while this aggression exist in the middle east. If you are advocating that one side need to vanish since it is evil and you do not see the emergent development character of humans (israelis, Jews, Palestinian etc.) you are actually argument are for violence and you do not think that Baby in Ashkelon need any protection from bombs (yes I know you think that if the Zionist entety will vanish the bomb will stop, but can you see that this will be done by force hence killing baby and young man and women who are " un humane zionist" as you claim).

Please read what other wrote too.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by mary rizzo on May 17, 2008 at 11:59am: Neri, here people have said there is such a thing as Humanistic Zionism. I hope you know what humanism is. I have asked what the characteristics of this kind of Zionism are, and no one has answered.

Could it be that humanism, as per my American Heritage dictionary reads: An attitude or system of thought asserting the primacy of man over metaphysical or abstract principles.

Man is not Jew, Arab, Palestinian, but all mankind, each human being. How does Zionism fit into Humanism? You are using other definitions, when my statements have all be very clear. This is why you read things into what has been written, and you expound upon ideas I am not addressing. Sure, I know what Zionism is, and how does it fit into Humanism?