Neutrality Studies Israel‘s Zionist Self-Destruction | Y. Rabkin, M. Ramos & J. Sachs
Dec 10, 2025
Yakov Rabkin, a historian specializing in Jewish history and Zionism, Manuel Ramos, an anthropologist studying religious movements and regional Zionism, and Jeffrey Sachs, an economist focused on global policy, engage in a thought-provoking discussion. They explore the self-destructive nature of Zionism, its political and religious roots, and its interplay with colonialism. The panel highlights tensions between pacifist Jewish traditions and Zionist state violence, the role of British and American support for Israel, and the implications of a shifting global power dynamic.
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Zionism As A Political Movement
- Zionism is primarily a political movement to bring Jews to the Holy Land by political or military means.
- Yakov Rabkin stresses that modern Zionism is distinct from Jewish messianic hopes and has evolved into an ideology many Israelis now see as racist.
Multiple Roots Explain Zionism's Shape
- Zionism combines varied roots: messianism, Protestant theology, imperial interests, and late-19th-century European nationalism.
- Jeffrey D. Sachs emphasizes the mix of religious and imperial motivations that shaped the ideology and the state of Israel.
Exclusionary Nationalism In Practice
- Modern Zionism in practice adopted exclusionary ethnic nationalism from Eastern and Central Europe.
- Yakov Rabkin warns that this form of nationalism in Israel justifies ethnic cleansing and even genocide to secure a 'pure' Jewish population.
