There are perfectly reasonable, articulate, well-meaning people who share many of the values of progressive Zionists but do not believe the Jewish state should exist. It is possible to believe this without being anti-Semitic. It is possible to believe this and still denounce protestors against the Jewish state who treat Palestinians suicide bombers as freedom […]
Palestinians
Worth reading: “Reclaiming the Z Word” (i.e., Zionism)
On Sunday, I am going to argue that it is important to start answering the claims of educated anti-Zionists with cogent, calm and respectful arguments, rather than engaging in frenzied efforts to deny them platforms. In the meantime, the following essay by Chris MacDonald-Dennis on why he calls himself a Zionist is worth reading. It […]
Philip Weiss and the straw man of Jewish “separatism”
On April 1st, I remarked that a post by Philip Weiss had conveyed the far left’s discomfort with Jewish identity. Weiss’ response created so many straw men that it would take hours to torch them. But one of his ideological scarecrows deserves comment, because it is based on a notion of Jewish identity that is […]
The far left’s discomfort with Jewish identity
Philip Weiss, a casual friend and often an ideological nemesis, has a fascinating, typically disturbing post about Jewish identity on his blog, MondoWeiss. In his magazine articles and his blog, he has been asking very provocative, often necessary questions about American Jews and Israel. As a result, he has become an increasingly important figure to […]
Petition to remove settlers from Hebron marketplace
Ameinu, together with Meretz USA and the Union of Progressive Zionists, has sent the following letter to Israel’s Defense Minister, Amir Peretz, calling for the immediate removal of hundreds of settlers who recently seized a Palestinian home in Hebron. You can add your signature to the letter. Come on folks, don’t just sit there and […]
Palestinian poll: Is the glass half full? Or half empty?
Remember, the title of this blog is “Realistic Dove.” According to Reuters, Palestinians appear to be split down the middle about whether the unity government should accept the international community’s demands about recognizing Israel, adhering to prior agreements and renouncing violence. Polls of the Palestinian community are notoriously sensitive to events on the ground. But […]
Redefine the American Jewish-Israeli relationship
The organized American Jewish community and Israel are like a tired old married couple that lives together on the basis of old habits, not new realities. They need to make an effort to redefine their relationship so that both can benefit. (Full disclosure: I stole that simile from Jerry Goodman, former director of the National Committee for Labor Israel and […]