Israel and the history of imperial feminism w/ Sophie Lewis
Apr 17, 2024
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Writer Sophie Lewis discusses the controversial use of feminist rhetoric to defend Israel's actions in Gaza and the historical ties between Zionist feminism and imperialism. The conversation explores the entanglement of feminism with whiteness, the debunking of claims of systemic sexual violence in Israeli media, and the complex intersection of feminism, nationalism, and militarism in defense of Israel.
Zionist feminism aligns with historical colonial feminism, offering Jewish women a utopia in Israel rooted in imperial whiteness.
Israel and its supporters use narratives of systemic sexual violence by Hamas to justify actions in Gaza, highlighting the manipulation of rape accusations for propaganda purposes.
Deep dives
Zionist Feminism and Colonial Feminism Parallel
Zionist feminism shares key characteristics with 19th-century colonial feminism. It offers Jewish women a colonial utopia in Israel, echoing imperial whiteness. Early Jewish suffragists viewed Zion as a place for societal civilization carried out by pioneering men and women. This mirrors historical instances where imperialism used feminist narratives.
Weaponization of Sexual Violence Narrative
Israel and its supporters used narratives of systemic sexual violence by Hamas to justify actions in Gaza. Reports exaggerated claims, later debunked, for propaganda. The Intercept exposed false stories, highlighting the use of rape accusations to manufacture consent for genocide. Similar tactics have been used in other instances of colonial repression.
Use of Feminism to Justify Imperialism
Feminism has been utilized to excuse imperialism, framing targets of US-led wars as irredeemably misogynistic. Western feminist women historically played active roles in the imperialist project. Direct participation of women in imperialism lost visibility as imperialism shifted methods. Israel's settler colonial project echoes historical imperialism, revealing parallels in feminist narratives.
Dworkin's Approach to Zionism and Feminism
Andrea Dworkin's 'Scapegoat' illustrates the fusion of Jewish and feminist identities, justifying Israel's violence as a solution. Zionism is viewed as a retreat for oppressed women, paralleling a pessimistic perspective on men. The book connects rape retaliation and national security, reflecting Zionist feminism's reliance on ethnic utopianism.
Since October 7th Israeli politicians, spokespeople, and Israel's supporters have mobilised feminist narratives in defence of the state's genocidal actions in Gaza and sought to portray Palestinian resistance to Israel as suffused with religiously inspired misogyny. In a recent article in Salvage, Sophie Lewis wrote about the way in which Zionist feminists have worked to defend the settler colonial project and how it places them in a long lineage of self-described feminists who have been enthusiastic supporters and participants in imperial conquest. In our conversation we talked about that history, and whether we're seeing a decline in Zionist feminism that parallels the broader crisis of liberal Zionism.
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