The text discusses the increasingly dominant influence of ultra-Zionism in Israel, whether in the form of its religious wing associated with Likud or its secular wing associated with the «Our Home Israel» party. The text argues that this trend toward fascism inevitably provokes a backlash, including among Jews themselves who are critical of this political agenda.
The article refers to an op-ed published in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz by two Jewish professors, Menachem Anzhi of Ben-Gurion University and Lior Sternfeld of the University of Pennsylvania. The professors argue against the Zionist narrative that portrays Jews in the Muslim world as living in humiliation and fear, waiting for Zionism to save them. They highlight the diverse and complex history of Jews in Muslim countries, where they have often achieved political, economic, and cultural success.
The professors also criticize the claim that Jews have ceased to exist in Arab countries and Iran, pointing out that Jewish communities continue to exist and some are even honored as part of the local culture and history. The growing influence of Sephardic Jews in Israeli society is seen as an opportunity to challenge the European-centric Zionist narrative and to reevaluate their history in the context of the Middle East.
Ultimately, the text suggests that a shift towards seeing themselves as an organic part of the Middle East, rather than a hostile Western stronghold, could lead to the long-awaited political solutions in the region.