Go to the profile of Olga Rybak
Olga Rybak
My childhood stayed in USSR. Adolescence — in Ukraine. My life is in US. My heart is in Israel.

Zionism 3.0 — Never One Sided, Always Evolving

For a long time, my friend’s email signature said Unapologetic Zionist. More than 700 Jews who gathered for Zionism 3.0 Conference at Palo Alto Jewish Community Center on November 22, 2015 would likely call themselves Zionists without hesitations, but the “flavors” of Zionism varied as did their eagerness to apologize or fix themselves and Israel. That is not new, considering ever since this national movement originated in the 19th century, Zionists came in all kinds of “shapes and colors”, everybody loves Israel in thier own special way, as I call it. From Peter Beinart who may call Israel apartheid state yet urge American Jews to focus on Jewish education to create connection to Israel to Bret Stephens who wisely reminds American Jews that Israel doesn’t exist for their moral vanity; from Tzipi Hotovely, Deputy Foreign Minister of Israel for whom Olmert’s old readiness to give up Kotel and allow Palestinian refugees to Israel is despicable to Knesset member of Arab origin Zouheir Bahloul who had nothing good to say about Jews while ironically being part of Zionist Camp (previously the Labor Party).

A lot of interesting facts and opinions were pronounced that day, some expected, some new revelations. Beinart and Stephens delivered some expected sparring during their panel. Hotovely received pleasantly surprising for me amount of applause, while another group of audience has been earnestly clapping to the speakers blaming Jews for lack of peace. Even the interruption of Hotovely’s speech by (likely) Jewish Voice for Peace “activist” who tried to shout his accusations in obnoxious manner was expected.

Some of my notes from that day:

  • Aluf Benn: in US-Israel relations, it used to be that what was “closer” to America, i.e. trade with China, would be decided by America, closer to Israel, i.e. Palestine, settlements, ultimately decided by Israel; Iran fell into a grey area.
  • Over half of school kids in Israel are from Ultra Orthdox or Arab families, neither are Zionist, don’t serve in the army.
  • Arabs press Israel to be less Jewish more democratic, Left is not ready to go the way of abandoning Jewish, so Right will continue to be in power for now. Nobody can challenge Natanyahu yet.
  • Jeff Goldberg on US/Obama policy: it took a pivot to Asia and not interested in Israel/Palestine conflict at this point, or Middle East in general, although obviously it will probably have to be now that changes are accelerating. Saudi Arabia has 5–10 year to go before turmoil.
  • Jeff Goldberg believes that whoever becomes next US President will want to restore relationship with Middle Eastern allies, but underneath there are shifts that are unstoppable and will continue the distancing of US from that region, including Israel.
  • Bret Stephens on Iran deal: if Party was reversed, i.e. if it was a Republican president pursuing it, many American Jews who supported this Iran deal, would have been questioning it.
  • Ruth Calderone: Americans are like Protestants, accepting of various denominations, Israelis are like Catholics, who believe in one church they don’t go to.
  • Bret Stephens: American Jews being largely democratic has positive effect, they keep Democratic party away from turning into Social-Democratic, Green parties of the Europe that are more than simply critical of Israel, but openly antagonistic toward Israel.
  • Bret Stephens: Israel is not a Moral Vanity for American Jews, it’s not there to make them feel good, Israel’s main purpose then and now — safe haven for Jews.
  • Bret Stephens proposes that it’s more accurate to call the collision of anti-Israel movements in Western world as Islamo-Socialism not Islamo-Fashism considering how Islamic Terror and Ultra Left Progressive movements find common ground in hatred of Israel
  • Bret Stephens compared fall of Europe to fall of Roman empire that was caused by movement of conquered people with radically different cultural assumptions inside of the center of Roman civilization
  • Bret Stephens: it’s important for us to focus on our moral values, but we also need to ask the people moving in “What are your values?”
  • Bret Stephens: advice to the world — treat Jews as Thermometer: when Jews are leaving, your country’s fever is rising; where Jews go, the society is healthy
  • Bret Stephens: it’s incorrect to equate Racism and Antisemitism. One is about Contempt, another — about Envy.
  • Bret Stephens: West usually summons the statesman to save them in the last minute, i.e. before Churchill, there was Chamberlain; before Reagan there was Carter; so there is hope after Obama.
  • Tzipi Hotovely: while Israel has been talking to world about Security, Palestinians kept shouting we are thieves.
  • Tzipi Hotovely: Olmert was ready to give away Kotel and allow 10K Palestinians into Israel in his 2008 plan that was rejected by Palestinians with the words “What are we going to tell to 4mln others” so it’s clear that the conflict is not about settlements, or Jerusalem, it’s about occupying the whole Israel. Not a single Palestinian leader is ready to give up the right of return.
  • Tzipi Hotovely: to Europeans who keep demanding Israel take unilateral peace initiatives, she asks 3 questions: (1) Who will take control of land after Israel withdraws, HAMAS or ISIS? (2) What/who will promise Gaza situation won’t repeat? (3) What Palestinian future do they see realistically after Israel withdrawal?
  • Tzipi Hotovely: World needs to monitor where their financial aid to Palestine is going
  • Amos Harel: Arab states don’t care about Palestinians any more, don’t even pay lip service, they are preoccupied with more urgent issues and understand that “fixing” Palestinian issue won’t fix any of Arab world issues. There’s no linkage.
  • Koby Huberman of Israeli Peace Initiative Group believes the only potential peace deal will come from the agreement between Israel and larger Arab body comprised of at least several influential Arab states, not Palestinians alone.
  • Zack Bodner: first time in history — strong Israel and strong Jewish diaspora exist at the same time.

And on that positive note, I will end my report.