Israel and "The Jewish Question"

The State of Israel, which was proclaimed this month in 1948, differs in no essential way from other capitalist states, apart from its approximate 7.7 million popula­tlon being comprised of 76 per cent Jews, together with Muslims, Christians and other minorities. Capitalism's operation within its boundaries produces all the well known insoluble miseries that constitute the system's notorious trademarks found else­where - in Israel, however, one finds predominately Jewish capitalists exploiting Jewish workers. The country endures constant warfare, and military service is compulsory for people into their fifties.

When Israel was established in 1948 the nationalistic ideology of Zionism, together with similar viewpoints, hoped to solve, or substantially resolve, the so-called "Jewish question". We use the term "so-called" advisedly because the "Jewish question" cannot be considered as an entity unto itself, separated from present-day society's other problems. The pernicious doctrine of raclsm permeates the environment in numerous areas apart from Jews, and it will continue to thrive until its modern-day breeder, capitalism, is eliminated.

It is true that Nazi Germany's horrible extermination of 6 million Jews constitutes an outstanding historic atrocity, but it is politically essential to recognize that the conditions that give rise to "Hitlers" are contained within capitalist society, and they have not been removed. Further, in order for a balanced perspective to be maintained, it should be acknowledged that the racist philosophies, discriminations and enslavements practiced against black people have directly and indirectly probably produced deaths which numerically have either equalled or exceeded those suffered by Jews.

At this juncture it might be appropriate to mention, as an example of the hypocrisies and anomalies created by the existing system, and as an indication of the ineffectiveness of any cult of nationalism, be it Zionism or any other, to solve or ameliorate racist programs, that Israel, itself a country born with a back­ground of racial persecution, did substantial trade with racist South Africa - in fact, supplied them with arms!

On a Saturday, March 11, 1978 politically ignorant terrorists, belonging to the Palestine Liberation Organization, attacked two buses, loaded with people, on the Tel Aviv-Haifa road. As a result 33 Israelis, comprising men, women and children were slaughtered. Three days later, in what was described as a "reprisal action", equally politically ignorant Israeli military forces conducted a large scale invasion into Lebanon which resulted in more killing of civilian men, women and children, and reportedly 150,000 refugees sought sanctuary in Beirut. One atrocity triggered another - of much greater dimension.

When war is supported and prosecuted the actions involved, because of the very nature of modem warfare, must be in­discriminate in their toll of human lives. All defenders of militarism should be aware that modem warfare precludes the practicality of isolating targets; that inevitably such conduct must demolish, endanger or harm civilians, including women and children - regardless of whatever intentions are declared or precautions taken.

The socialist can offer no solution to eliminate the conse­quences of war after it has erupted. We can only put forward a case for socialism at all times in the hope that the working class will eliminate the cause of war before it happens.

The establishment of the State of Israel has, from a socialist standpoint, solved none of the basic problems that confront members of the working class, be they Jewish or otherwise. Obviously in a country in which the majority are Jewish one can be more or less assured that they will be protected from anti­semitism within their own borders, and from their own religious brethren. Although, even in this regard, there have been in­stances where light-skinned Jews have displayed prejudice towards Jews with darkened complexions. That some Jews have been anti-black, and vice-versa, is common knowledge. Be that as it may.

Unfortunately, however, freedom from the curse of internal racism has been more than offset by the continual state of warfare in which the Israelis have found themselves for over 60 years. Surely it is small consolation to find oneself in a geo­graphical area protected from racial persecution from within but vulnerable to the everIasting vicissitudes of military onslaughts and terrorist atrocities from without. In fact, a strong case could be presented to show that 7.7 million Jews all living together in one confined, strategically important area such as Israel, are in great danger of total obliteration should a nuclear war, directed specifically against them, occur - and this morbid possibility exists. It is strongly rumored that Israel possesses atomic capability.

As long as capitalism continues, all states, including Israel, are exposed to the danger of war, some more than others, and all minorities, including Jews, remain in danger of persecution. The creation of Israel has not eradicated the scourge of racism nor provided Jews with a haven of safety and security - capitalism can never furnish such "luxuries" to human beings of any denomination!

Racism springs from the lack of understanding that all major social evils are the result of the way in which capitalism operates coupled with political frustrations that become the sequel after past failures of reformist policies. Add to this some false patriotic mumbo-jumbo, a sprinkling of biological balderdash, and the "ingredients" for racism have been assembled.

Solutions do not reside in the creation of states nor in their retention, but rather in their complete elimination. World War II ended the German Nazi regime but not the conditions that created the monster - they are still with us, together with a host of countries with military juntas, dictatorships, and anti-social philosophies.
When an international community is established, without states, classes, and governments, in which men and women will have become the common owners and democratic controllers of all the means for producing and distributing wealth, artificial boundaries, deprivations and insecurities will have vanished. With them too will have disappeared the fantasies of religion and the bigotry of the oppressed and uneducated.

(The original version of this essay is to be found World Without Wages (Money, Poverty & War!) by Samuel Leight)