zionism

[Forstater, Mathew]

> more on citizenship, nationalist, etc.
> 
> For non-Jews, potential applicants for citizenship are divided into
> two categories: "present" and "absent."  The Absentee Property Law of
> 1950 de-nationalized 750,000 Palestinians by categorizing them as
> "absent."  The Custodian of Land took over the property of
> "absentees."  There is also a category called "present-absentees"
> which means that in some respects one is present (wage laborer in
> Israel) and in others one is absent (property confiscated).  Even
> those "present" were not necessarily granted citizenship: they were
> granted permanent residence and issued regular identity cards, but
> various proofs were required which a large portion of the population
> would never be able to satisfy. Also, citizenship does not alter
> absentee status.
> 
> Many argue Israel is a theocracy: civil marriages are not permitted;
> marriage and divorce only performed religiously.  Religious courts are
> state courts and relgious judiciary is paid for by the state.
> Conversion to Judiasm only permitted by Orthodox Jewish Rabbis, the
> only recognized Rabbis in the state. (still true?)
> 
> Land and Labor
> 
> Land: Israeli Lands Administration administers only 'national' lands.
> In pre-1967 Israel this comprised 93% of the total land, including 79%
> of the cultivatable.  Non-Jews are by law excluded from owning
> national land.  65% of the cultivable land is under control of the
> kibbutz and moshav 'cooperatives.'  In terms of the kibbutz and Jewish
> socialism, these cooperatives must be seen in their racist colonial
> class context, not as successful socialism, as they have often been
> pointed to as.  Israeli Jewish kibbutz are an essential part of the
> Israeli Jewish colonial landed elite.
> 
> The Histadrut: the "national labor union."  This so-called national
> trade union operates on a much wider and deeper social, political, and
> economic basis.  Prior to 'idependence', this 'trade union' was in
> charge of colonization efforts, economic production and marketing,
> defense, and labor employment.  It is an economic empire that controls
> a good portion of the Israeli economy, including banks, holding
> companies, corporations, agricultural and industrial concerns, etc.
> Its Dept. of Labor is one of many departments, including an "Arab
> Department" Tax Dept., Culture and Education Dept., Immigration
> Absorption and Development Dept., Tourism Dept., Religious affairs
> Dept.  After the state itself, it is the second largest employer in
> the country, with 25% of pre-1967 Israel on its payroll.  All kibbutz
> or moshav settlements are directly or indirectly controlled by the
> Histadrut.