The Netanyahu family represents different factions of Zionism, including religious, nationalist, and militant approaches.
The Arab Revolt in 1936, sparked by opposition to Jewish immigration and Zionist domination, resulted in violent clashes and British intervention.
The Nakba in the late 1940s led to the expulsion of Palestinians from their homes, resulting in significant casualties and land loss.
Deep dives
Nathan Milikowski and the early days of Zionism
Nathan Milikowski, grandfather of Benjamin Netanyahu, was born in 1879 in what is now Belarus. He was part of the Hovevi Zion movement, advocating for Jewish emigration to Palestine. Milikowski faced opposition from more secular and socialist Zionists, leading him to identify with the Misrahi movement. He believed that Jews should settle in Palestine and defended a religious and nationalist form of Zionism.
The rise of the Revisionist Zionists
Ben Zion Netanyahu, father of Benjamin Netanyahu, became a prominent figure in the Revisionist Zionist movement. He was influenced by the ideals of muscular Judaism and admired figures like Max Nordau and Israel Zangwill. The Revisionist Zionists rejected socialism and sought a less compromising stance towards Arabs and the British. They formed militant groups like the Irgun and the Stern Gang, which carried out reprisal attacks against Arabs and the British mandate.
The Arab Revolt and tensions within Zionism
The Arab Revolt in 1936, fueled by Palestinian opposition to Jewish immigration and Zionist domination, led to violent clashes and thousands of deaths. The British supported a bi-national state and capped Jewish immigration to Palestine, which angered both Zionists and Palestinians. During this time, extremist groups like the Irgun intensified attacks, while the Haganah, a more moderate Zionist organization, worked with the British to suppress the revolt.
World War II and political activism
During World War II, Ben Zion Netanyahu, disillusioned with academia, engaged in political activism. He traveled to the United States to lobby for American support of a Jewish state. Alongside other Zionists, he influenced American politics, eventually securing pro-Zionist planks in both the Republican and Democratic parties. This joint action marked a turning point for Zionism and set the stage for future political and military support.
The Nakba and Ethnic Cleansing
During the late 1940s and early 1950s, the Nakba, or Catastrophe, occurred as Jewish paramilitary groups forcibly expelled Palestinians from their homes and villages. The Hagana executed Plan Dallet, which aimed at depopulating Palestinian population centers, resulting in an estimated 15,000 Palestinians killed, 418 towns and villages destroyed, and 7 to 800,000 Palestinians displaced. Palestinians lost about 78% of their land, while Israel, despite U.N. resolutions, gained control over it.
Netanyahu's Childhood and Family Dynamics
Benjamin Netanyahu, born in 1949, grew up in a family deeply divided over the future and legitimacy of Israel. His father, Benzion Netanyahu, was a right-wing Zionist who often clashed with other right-wing factions and remained convinced that Israel's project was doomed. Netanyahu's older brother, Jonathan, was his hero and held significant influence over him. The family's frequent moves between Israel and the United States disrupted Netanyahu's childhood, leaving him feeling a sense of displacement and longing for stability.
