Angelus Novus wrote:
>Many people I know would argue that the justificaton
>for Zionism is the continued existence of
>anti-semitism, that Zionism should not be viewed as an
>affirmative nationalism like other 19th Century
>varieties, but a "negative" nationalism whose claims
>are supported by the unique nature of anti-semitism as
>a universal phenomenon in capitalist societies in
>moments of crisis.
>
Except for the incovenient fact that 1) nowhere in the world is it more
dangerous to be a jew than in Israel and 2) Zionism is founded and
supported largely by those who felt threatened by the assimilation and
emancipation of Jews in Europe.
>Moishe Postone's National Socialism and Anti-Semitism
>is a key text for this school of thought, as well as
>some obscure passages in Marx's Critique of Political
>Economy concerning interest-bearing capital and its
>tendency to be a "target for superficial criticism."
>
So far as Marx is concerned, I'll go with "On the Jewish Question."
>I suppose the argumentation is somewhat esoteric, but
>I think claims of Palestinian "nationhood" are
>arguably just as dubious. And besides, I think
>Leftists and other progressive-minded peoples should
>avoid naturalistic arguments for any sort of
>nationalism. That sort of "Blut und Boden"
>argumentation is best left to Neo-Nazis.
>
...or the State of Israel who so defines the right to citizenship; it is
based on blood and not religious belief.
Joanna
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