Hey sorry this is completely out of the blue, but I stumbled upon your blog, and after reading your bio I was wondering if I could ask you if you knew anything about the current state of anti-zionism/anti-imperialism within Israel? Specifically if you know anything about any anti-zionist organizing within Israel? (for reference I'm American and a leftist but I don't know much about Israeli leftist groups). Sorry if this is a bother or It's too much!
I might elaborate this one day and write a longer more coherent post.
In general the way you wrote this question while well intenttioned puts me bit on edge.
I am a full Zionist, the Jewish people need a place to live, Zionist does not mean that I do not want peace and that I do not want a state for Palastinians.
People love to forget what happened prior to the establishment of the state of Israel, the horrible antisemitism (including American). The War of Independence was a war where many of the soldiers just escaped against all odds the concentration camps.after years of the war being over they were still tossed from one refuge camp to the next, almost all of them had barbed wires. When they eventually managed to get to Israel they fought with arms marked with numbers, like cattle, they didn't know Hebrew, many of them died undocumented illegal immigrants, lone survivors of famous families.
The establishment of the state of Israel is filled with bloodshed and I wish it wouldn't have been, but it is.
The things that are happening today however are very different, we have the upper hand both security-wise and economic-wise, and we have the choice to stop this.
Hamas does not have the best interest of the civilians when continuing to do things that they know will trigger unproportionate response from IDF, they are not trying to achieve security for their citizens.
And listen I serve in the military, yes as an educator, yes I hope that some of the people I talk to manage to think that not every single Palestinian wants us dead and that they were given a really shitty hand. I talk about how our heros (Palmah, Hahagana...) were terrorist groups working under the Brits noses and exploding supplies, these people are working for their freedom.
There is no reason to dwell on of what happened in the history was justified, I see much greater urgency in what is happening now and to tell you the truth our new prime minister, Naftally Bennet, scares me. While this Kneset is already legislating many pro lgbt laws and making my life as a trans man who needs government subsidized top surgery easier, He is very right winged and wants the occupied territories for religious reasons.
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This was longer then I intended it to be but I will summarize, being an Israeli and not getting out of here at the age of 18 while believing the way we are treating Palestinians is unethical and downright wrong is hard, many leave, many give in to violent and binary ways of looking at things, but I also love my country, I wish to continue education and maybe go to politics to change this injustice but sadly the right here, like in the us, is turning more and more cultist and calming anyone with views less violent is a traitor.
This does not stop me for a moment but i think its context you need to understand.
