What's left?

I wonder what left and right mean in Israel today and in fact if the terms are still relevant.

I define myself as a pragmatic Zionist. Just because we might happen to have the moral and historical right to the whole of greater Israel, does not necessarily mean that we should exercise that right. I am though above all proud to call myself a Zionist.



I would rather live in a smaller true Jewish democracy than in a larger state where lip service is paid to the idea of democracy while a two or even three tier system is established. I want my children to live in a society where the highest level of Jewish (human) morals and values are adhered to and where all citizens and I mean all; in the country can enjoy the rights and benefits and share (equally) the responsibilities of a healthy and flourishing society.


I have long argued that it is time for the mainstream to take back our national flag and the mantle of true Zionism. I say mainstream because well the question of left and right sticks in my head.

One thing I do know is that for too long extreme elements have usurped the national flag and bastardized both the Zionist cause and the Jewish religion for their own political ends. There is I believe a majority of level headed people in the country, both religious and secular, free marketeers and socialists, men and women from the centre and from the periphery who object to extremism in all its forms.

So last night thousands attended a self declared "left wing" demonstration organised by the National Left, a new movement set up by Eldad Yaniv and Shmuel Hasfari with the aim of establishing a viable left wing grass roots movement in the country, reversing the decline of left wing Zionist ideology in the country. Just as the flag has been usurped by the so called right, so the left have been increasingly perceived as anti Zionist, "Pali hugging" liberals who have no sense of national pride or love of country. So I was intrigued by this new movement which promotes the Zionist left. In fact one of their slogans for the demonstration (which I should say, I did not attend) was "Zionism is not settlements".

I have read their manifesto, which is available in English on their facebook page smoleumi and I would urge anyone interested to read it. It is not short at 20,000 words, but I am sure you can find the time. I have also attended one of their parlour meetings, where I proceeded, as is my bent; to argue the Eldad Yaniv on the universal difference between right and left in modern democracy. For the record there is in fact a great deal in their manifesto with which I take issue.

However, I applaud the document as an attempt to raise and address many of the issues most pressing in Israel today and t suggest tht there is indeed an alternative approach. The document is written to provoke and to challenge the status quo. Yaniv maintains that if you agree with just 60% of the document then you are at heart, a leftist. Now I have never considered myself particularly left wing, however the document has caused me to ponder. Could it be that all this time I have been a closet lefty despite my reluctance to split Jerusalem or give up the Golan. If left and right do still exist in Israel then they exist in a manner wholly different than that in other western democracies. Note that I say other democracies because , although perhaps deeply flawed Israel is most defnitley a functioning democracy. However the emergence of a viable alternative to what exists today can only be a good thing for the country. Having read the document, I intend to examine its points in more detail and assess for myself what, if anything; is left in Zionism.