By Glyn Secker
I want to address the conflation of Jew, Zionism and Israel, which are three separate identities: I am a Jew, but like hundreds of thousands of other Jews in the world, I am not a Zionist. Zionism is a political ideology; it is neither a religious identity nor a racial identity.
Zionism was not and is not a straightforward ideology simply espousing a Jewish nation. It has a necessary second half; it is predicated on a specific territory, Zion (Palestine), which was home to many hundreds of thousands of people for tens of centuries before the existence of Zionism. It was axiomatic to Zionism that its implementation was to be in Palestine, and therefore, its objective, the establishment of a Jewish state, could only be achieved by the removal of the existing population.
The early Zionist leader, J. Weitz, Head of the Jewish Agency, which was responsible for the initial settlements in Palestine, wrote in his diary,
there is no other way than to transfer the Arabs […] not one village, not one tribe should be left.
Chaim Weizmann, the first President of Israel, pronounced ‘there is a fundamental difference in quality between Jew and native,’ and thus established a racist rationale.
Whilst some Jews, typified by Daniel Clements, the president of Birmingham University Jewish Society, and Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis claim that Zionism is core to being a Jew, I find this stereotyping, derogatory and abusive – because it defines me as a Jew in terms of a negative and abusive ideology. As such I experience it as antisemitic.
It is perfectly legitimate to criticise the State of Israel and the political ideology of Zionism; no state or ideology can place itself above moral criticism – that is a very dangerous place to be. But to criticise me because I am a Jew, that would be antisemitic. The distinction is both necessary and clear.
Normally, I do not comment on the State of Israel. However, I am going to make an exception in this case because I think the writer brings forward several key points that all need to understand when discussing the situation between Palistinian and Israeli.
First, I am in complete agreement with the invention of Zionism – a political ideology that is racist, dogmatic and demeaning, even to those who refer to themselves as Jews. We must remember the Zealots, who led a rebellion against Rome that instigated the destruction of Jerusalem and Israel as a nation. Zionists are very dangerous people, who have executed an coup of the administration of the State of Israel. The Israeli people are captive to Zionist, just as Americans are captive to the Corporate State.
As for Zionism being a prerequisite to being a Jew, this is typical dogmatic, unyielding rhetoric that dooms the State of Israel and all the rational people living there. Zionists are sociopaths and have no regard for righteousness, law, order or justice. They have an agenda that they are committed to executing, no matter who must be eliminated to fulfill that agenda.
Now, the issue of “being a Jew”. A Jew is a person who has committed their life to Judiasm, it’s culture, religion, customs, feasts, etc. This is a condition of choice, where people from all walks of life can become a “Jew”. This is an option I would deny no one. I feel it is important to allow people to make their own choices, without restriction, as long as they harm no person or property.
However, having said all of that, there is another dimension to this discussion regarding “being a Jew”. A Jew can also be a person who lays claim to being a descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The truth is no “Jew” on earth today can prove that he/she is a descendant of the patriarchs. Nevertheless, there are people scattered all over who can offer proof that they are descended from the patriarchs of Israel.
To comprehend what follows requires of the reader a thirst for the truth. The search for truth means that the individual must not merely follow troth as he sees it, but he must, so far as he can, search to see that he is right.
The existence of these unique people is one of the best kept secrets in all of human history, however, a close reading of Deuteronomy 28:15-68 and the “curses” detailing a unique form of chattel slavery identifies who they are. These people are identified today as “African Americans”, in error. They should be referred to as Hebrew Israelites.
They are a unique group because they are the only group on earth, in all of human history, who have experienced ALL of the “curses” detailed in that prophecy. They are the people who were captured, chained and sold to the Europeans by the Africans and Arabs. They were shipped to a far away land and sold into slavery by a people who came from “the ends of the earth”. Their women were raped. Their children were taken and sold. They were powerless to do anything about it. Families were destroyed. They were forced to work building homes, but unable to live in them. To plant and tend crops, but unable to eat them. To tend to livestock, but unable to eat them. They would be plagued by disease and sickness. They would be “cursed” whether they live in the country or in the city. The foreigner would live among them and prosper, while they become poorer and poorer. No man would be able to save them. They would fear for their lives, day and night, not having any assurances of life.
Who are the people who have had the experiences graphically detailed in the book of Deuteronomy 28? Those who seek and love the truth will know immediately who these people are. That knowledge will put your understanding of God’s Word and purpose for his people on another level. May you be one of those rare people who will seek truth, wherever it leads you. Peace.