A Zionism of Inclusion

Captain Elinor Joseph - One of many Arab-Israeli Christians serving in the Israel Defense Forces

Perhaps no national movement has been as maligned or misunderstood as Zionism, the struggle for the self-determination of the Jewish people. In this article, Einat Wilf deftly discusses how the Zionist narrative has changed over time to include disparate groups and the nasecent signs that it continues to broaden its inclusive reach.

 While the section on Muslim inclusion may seem far-fetched, problematic, or overly optimistic at this time, I was heartened a few months back at the outrage of the Israeli-Arab communities in the Wadi Ara/Triangle region when it was suggested that they become part of a future Palestinian state as part of reciprocal land transfers in any final agreement. Even though they have been outspoken and vocal critics of Israel and would not be required to leave their home or lose their lands, it was clear that this was not something that they considered in any way to be a viable option.

In short, given a choice between joining the independent Palestine that they have long been advocating for or staying in a democratic Israel, it became undeniably clear that they much preferred the latter option to the former. Similarly, though they do not say so directly, you can be sure that the vast majority of the Druze in the Golan are thanking their lucky stars that they are not a part of Syria right now.

To read the article, click HERE