The Sobering of the Israeli Left - with Dr. Einat Wilf
Mar 15, 2024
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Exploring the disillusionment of Israeli left, shift to judicial reform post Oct. 7th, misapplication of Western debates on conflict, emotional dynamics, identity complexities in Israel, and reflections on government during Gaza conflict.
Israeli left facing ideological shift post-October 7th, focusing on pre-1967 borders legitimacy vs settler territories.
Western misconceptions projected onto Israeli-Palestinian conflict, highlighting importance of accurate contextual analyses.
Deep dives
Israeli Left's Perception of Legitimacy and Anti-Zionist Sentiments
The Israeli left perceives a distinction between Israel within the pre-1967 borders as legitimate and the territories with settlers as illegitimate. They aim to revert to the pre-1967 borders, emphasizing the legitimacy of that part of Israel. Additionally, the podcast discusses how both Palestinians and the rising anti-Zionist left reject the idea of a Jewish state's legitimacy, prompting a shift in the left's views post-October 7th.
Impact of October 7th on Israeli Left's Ideology
Following the events of October 7th, many Israeli leftists, especially those who believed in a two-state solution, underwent a significant ideological shift. The brutality faced by peace-seeking individuals in regions like the kibbutzim forced a realization that the problem did not solely lie in Israeli actions but in the fundamental existence of Israel as a Jewish state.
Shift From Judicial Reform to Prioritizing Israeli Democracy
The podcast elaborates on how the Israeli left's focus shifted from judicial reform to prioritizing Israeli democracy and combating the influence of the extreme right within the country. The conversation delves into the need for legitimate governance in Israel, with a particular emphasis on ensuring shared responsibility and commitment to the country's defense.
Western Misconceptions and Misplaced Frameworks in Understanding the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Dr. Annette Wilf highlights the tendency of Western circles to project their own domestic debates onto the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, resulting in misconceptions and misinterpretations. The podcast touches upon the disconnect between Western perceptions and the intricate realities of Israel's history and conflicts, emphasizing the need for accurate and contextually relevant analyses.
Since October 7, we have heard from more and more friends in Israel who came of age -- politically -- in the 1990s. Some of these friends were key political figures on the Israeli Left and were committed to working on a two-state solution as the final resolution to achieve regional peace.
Dr. Einat Wilf joins us to discuss the sobering of many of these figures and what it means for Israel's future. Einat also discusses an essay she penned for Sapir journal about the tendency of activists in other countries to project their political debates on Israel -- something happening today -- however disconnected from Israel those debates may be. Her essay is called "How Not to Think About the Conflict" and it can be found here: https://sapirjournal.org/social-justice/2021/04/how-not-to-think-about-the-conflict/
Einat was born and raised in Israel. She was an Intelligence Officer in the IDF. She has worked for McKinsey. She was Foreign Policy Advisor to Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres and an advisor to Yossi Beilin, who was Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Dr. Wilf was a member of the Israeli Parliament (the Knesset) in the early 2010s, where she served as Chair of the Education Committee and Member of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
She has a BA from Harvard, an MBA from INSEAD in France, and a PhD in Political Science from the University of Cambridge. She was a Visiting Professor at Georgetown University and is a lecturer at Reichman University in Israel.
Einat is the author of seven books that explore key issues in Israeli society. “We Should All Be Zionists“, published in 2022, brings together her essays from the past four years on Israel, Zionism and the path to peace; and she co-authored “The War of Return: How Western Indulgence of the Palestinian Dream Has Obstructed the Path to Peace”, which was published in 2020.
"THE WAR OF RETURN" -- https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-war-of-return-adi-schwartz/1131959248?ean=9781250364845
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