11 ti-.eh ("This World") which is now regarded as 's leading weekly Books news magazine. Attempts to mute the voice of this journal in 1965 impelled him into the political arena, and he was elected to the (with 1.2% of the \otes under proportional rep­ resentation) as the sole parliamentary spokesman of a new political group- ISRAEL WITHOUT ing. ZIONISTS, by Uri Avnery. The origins of the clash of nation­ MacMillan, 215 pp., $5.95. alisms he places in the founding of by Theodor Herzl in 1896 THIS BOOK makes fascinating read­ with liis book Der Judenstaat (T he ing despite its brevity (215 pages). On Jewish State). Avnery describes Zion­ Zionism, Israel, Arab nationalism and ism as a direct product of the spirit the characters of people such as Moshe of nationalism in nineteenth century Dayan, it gives a wealth of facts not Europe, in the wake of the infamous generally known. It realistically exam­ Dreyfus affair. ines the standpoints of both sides, re­ Zionism, Avnery says, envisaged even freshingly putting main responsibility on the author's own side to get some greater changes than those introduced movement towards peace. by other national revolutions, in that it involved as well the transfer of Insofar as it deals with the faults people from one country to another, of the Arabs, the main point made is and often from one class to another that it is a great mistake to regard (usually lower). Israel as merely a stooge for Western imperialism, although the author re­ The “achilles heel’’ of this fervent cognises reasons for the existence of nationalism was its ignorance and blindness in regard to the Arabs. Av­ such a view. nery quotes an almost unbelievable The main thesis of the book is the incident recounted in one of the books recognition that two great national of the famous Jewish philosopher Mar­ movements, perhaps inevitably in view tin Buber. Nordau, another top leader of historical circumstances, have come of Zionism “hearing for the first time into collision in the Middle East, and that there were Arabs living in Pales­ that the only possible way out short tine ran to Hetzl deeply shocked ex­ of ultimate catastrophe is to break claiming, 'I didn’t know that! We are what has become a vicious circle. committing an injustice’ ” (p.50).

Uri Avnery was born in 1924 in Avnery drily records that Nordau Germany and left for Palestine with his did not take long to recover complete­ family shortly after Hitler came to ly from his shock and sense of injustice. power. He joined the National So much so that at the Seventh Zion­ Military (“terrorist”) Organisation ist Congress in 1905 he advocated an which fought the Arabs and also the alliance with the Turks (then ruling British, whom they thought were sec­ Palestine) against the Arabs — “It retly supporting the Arabs, though meant, practically speaking’”, says Av­ Avnery records that later he realised nery, a declaration of war on the the Arab fight was at bottom a great emerging Arab nationalist movement” national rebellion which was destined (P-51) • to grow. This was followed by other moves, Avnery fought in the war of 1948, by the Arab side as well as the Zion­ and in 1950 became editor of H a ’olam ist, and, says Avnery.

71 AUSTRALIAN LEFT REVIEW June-July, 1969

“Thus began the cycle in which and the State of Israel, and various Zionist-Arab relations have moved in­ other moves which may have opened cessantly ever since: (1) The Zionists some doors. Zionist attitudes and pol­ increase their efforts at immigration icies however made certain that these and settlement; (2) the Arabs react remained shut. violently to what they consider a mortal threat to their national exist­ Other facts related by Avnery in­ ence; (3) to contain the threat and clude those concerning the notorious gain political and military assistance, spy story of 1954 where a group of the Zionists look for an ally, an ally Jewish Egyptians were directed to that can only be a foreign power whose plant bombs in American and British interests are being adversely affected offices throughout Egypt to worsen re­ by the rising Arab nationalism: [Turks, lations with these countries to the British, French, Americans]; (4) the “benefit” of Israel. pact between Zionism and the foreign Within Israel, Zionist policy worked power whets Arab hatred and bitter­ in the same direction. The funda­ ness, sharpening their attack upon the mental tenets of Zionism are described Jewish national home; (5) this in­ by Avnery as follows: creases for the Zionists the need for even bigger allies. “ (a) all the Jew's in the world are It is a complete cycle, a truly vicious one nation; (b) Israel is a Jewish state, circle, this not-so-merry-go-round where created by the Jews and for the Jews each rider sits on his horse as it all over the world; (c) the Jewish dis­ goes up and down, imagining that persal is a temporary situation, and it is he who decides his course, tragi­ sooner or later all Jews will have to cally condemned — by the inner logic come to Israel, driven, if by nothing of his earlier acts and the ideology else, by inevitable anti-Semitic perse­ nourished by them — to follow a pre­ cution; (d) the ingathering of these destined course” (p.59). exiles is the raison d’etre of Israel, the primary purpose to which all other Opportunities presented by positive aims have to be subservient” (pp.157- Arab attitudes at various times were 8). never responded to because of the basic Zionist attitude which remained Thus, in Israel, there is no separa­ dominant. For example Ben Gurion, tion between Church and State. Every regarded as the architect of the State Jew has the automatic right to settle of Israel “never wavered in his belief in Israel, immediately acquiring Israeli that Israel must lemain a homogeneous citizenship (though his spouse, if a Jewish state, that it must align itself Christian would not become such ex­ with the West, and that peace with the cept through normal processes of nat­ Arabs is impossible” (p.97). uralisation).

Opportunities missed because of this But what is a Jew, who is a Jew? include relations with Nasser, of whom No clear-cut legal definition exists. Avnery says that he had no anti-Israel There can be, and is, no definition ex­ sentiments or policy to start with. cept a religious one, and the courts of Israel have even decided that a per­ Also the events in 1954, when Gen­ son ceases to be a Jew if he adopts eral Riad announced that the Arabs another religion. There is no civil were prepared to accept international marriage or divorce in Israel and a control over the waters of the Jew cannot marry a Christian or a River which would have meant some Moslem — nor can a Jew named Cohen actual collaboration between the Arabs marry a divorced woman, because Co- 72 AUSTRALIAN LEFT REVIEW June-July, 1969

liens, regarded historically as belong­ party leaders originally lived abroad; ing to the priesthood, must marry vir­ they controlled a growing financial ap­ gins. (A Cohen cannot change his paratus operating in Palestine but name to get out of it either!) based abroad. The parties established th eir institutions. The kibbutzim (co­ Perhaps more important, the idea of operatives) belong to parties, and thus a homogeneous state being inherent breaking with the party meant aban­ in Zionism, any non-Jew is really a doning a home. The H istadru th (trade foreign element to the Israeli regime, union organisation) attached to left- and this has particularly grave conse­ wing Zionist parties, operated the lab­ quences in respect to the Arabs. For or exchange and an excellent sick fund example, it raises almost insuperable — but this gave the leaders of parties barriers to the settlement of the Aral) great power over dissident members. refugee problem, because Zionist out­ look regards it as essential to keep Considerable financial contributions the Arab minority as small as pos­ to the various Zionist parties came sible. from abroad via the Jewish Agency, whose governing bodies are not elected Perhaps the most striking fact of by any normal democratic process: all is that, after three generations of conflict and 20 years of an actual state "It is a Federation of party secre­ of war, there is nc Israeli Government tariats . . . a system for the division department for Arab affairs. These of the spoils. Several million dollars matters are handled by the Middle are parcelled out directly among the East section of the Foreign Ministry, Zionist parties, ostensibly as compensa­ which employs only 30 officials out of tion for relinquishing their rights to a total of 900, and some of these deal organise their own fund-raising in the with questions involving non-Arab United States.” (p.175) But the main Middle Eastern countries such as Iran! activity of the Jewish Agency is (with Less than 0.05% Qf the Israeli budget, complete agreement of the State) the and less than 3% of that of the For­ organisation of immigration, includ­ eign office is devoted to Middle Eastern ing settlement and absorption of mig­ affairs. The Zionist ideology is over­ rants. whelmingly oriented towards the West. “Thus”, says Avnery, “parties con­ trolling the Zionist organisation can Before outlining the author's ap­ manipulate vast amounts of money in­ proach to the bieaking of the vicious dependent of ordinary democratic pro­ circle, some facts concerning the Is­ raeli Establishment need to be given. cesses and controls. Small wonder in­ deed that to all these parties Zionism Although many aspects of Israeli is sacred. The Establishment could life are very democratic, the Establish­ not possibly exist without it. The idea ment is deeply — and undemocratical- of a non-Zionist Israel is to them ly — entrenched. Says Avnery ‘‘the heresy, mortal sin’”, (p.176). Zionist parties. . have power struc­ tures almost independent of their mem­ And this is the radical proposal for a bers, controlled by professional leaders new course advanced by Avnery and and financed bv outside sources”, (p. his colleagues — a non-Zionist Israel. 68) . They consider themselves to be This arose for quite understandable representative of a new generation of historical reasons, it is true, but this Israelis who reject the Zionist shibbo­ ■Hakes it no less a blight on to d a y’s leths and attitudes. They regard Political scene. Briefly, most Zionist themselves as Israeli (or Hebrew) nat­ 73 AUSTRALIAN LEFT REVIEW June-July, 1969

ionalists, and not just another part unified city would become the federal of world Jewry that happens to live in capital, as well as the capital of both Palestine. states... The Federal agreement should be preceded by an economic, political Thus they do not look to a great and military pact ” (p.187-7). new influx of Jews from abroad to develop Israel (nor do they believe Avnery answers some of the many it will come); they are not motivated objections that spring to mind, though by a need to acquire new territory he recognises the long term nature of for the settlement of such a flood of such a solution, even if it is realisable migrants; they are not oriented to­ at all. But what is the alternative? wards the West but to the Middle The parallel is drawn by many with East, and therefore towards the Arabs, the Crusader State in Palestine which and a merging rather than a clashing lasted for about two centuries, but fin­ of the two nationalisms; they are for ally and inevitably succumbed. If this a secular state and the overthrow of ultimate disaster faces a Zionist Israel, the existing Zionist establishment. does it offer much comfort to Arab nationalism to have to wait this long This new, non-Zionist nationalism is for the internal progress to which they regarded by Avnery as similar to the look, and which can hardly come while new nationalism involving a sense of the state of war remains? Can it offer political destiny which developed in much comfort to the rest of the world Australia for example. A nation, for which could be drawn into any one him, is defined simply and pragmati­ of the many future conflicts which

cally as “a group of people who believe will inevitably flare up in the absence they are a nation, who want to live as of a settlement. a nation, have a common political des­ tiny, identify themselves with a poli­ The questions once posed answer tical state, pay its taxes, serve in its themselves, and must increase efforts army, work for its future, share its towards a political settlement some­ fate — and, if necessary, die for it”, where in the direction indicated by (p. 155). Avnery.

It is from this approach that Avnery Whatever may be the case on the draws his main proposal for peace. other side — and one can as yet only The Arabs are not one nation, but sev­ hope for an equally realistic and for­ eral. The only Arabs who are not ward looking attitude gaining ascend­ identified with one or other of these ancy among the Arabs and some of nations are the Palestinian Arabs. They their supporters — the rulers of Israel, satisfy his definition of a nation — dominated by their Zionist outlook they w an t to live as a nation, and are and pro-Western orientation, at pre­ prepared, if necessary to die for it. sent offer no encouragement whatever.

This “would mean that the Govern­ They appear to be “reasonable” (as ment of Israel would offer the Pales­ they wish to appear) by offering direct tinian Arabs assistance in setting up negotiations with the Arabs. But as a national republic of their own, this Avnery points out, far from being offer being conditional upon a federal reasonable, this is a sure sign of bank­ agreement between such a Palestine and ruptcy of their policy in regard to Israel. The Palestine Republic would peace. For all the present rulers of comprise the west bank of the Jordan Israel wTant is recognition by the Arabs, and the Gaza Strip. Transjordan could which they immediately achieve once join if its inhabitants were able and direct negotiations are entered into. willing so to decide. Jerusalem as a This gives them “victory” in advance 74 AUSTRALIAN LEFT REVIEW June-July, 1900 of any proposals on their part to the role of man, dependent as lie is, satisfy legitimate Arab demands. In upon natural and social resources. As fact they have no proposals and cannot the N.S.W. Humanist Society puts it, agree among themselves on any pro­ “Humanists hold that human moral posals, as Prime Minister Mrs. Meir and social conduct are best founded has recently clearly revealed. on reason and on the value and dig­ nity of man.” One feels, from reading this book, that Avnery does indeed express the In his introduction to The Humanist aspirations of the as yet very small O utlook, A. J. Ayer points out that number of “new generation" Israelis, while there is no logical connection and this gives some hope for peace in between religion and morals this does the future. What one does not know not entail that there is no causal con­ is whether this small number will in­ nection, that is, the highest moral crease quickly enough to avoid a new actions may come from those who disaster. adopt a religious faith and because of E.A. it. Therefore it would be a mistake for the Humanist movement to ex­ pend its main energies on an anti­ THE HUMANIST OUTLOOK, clerical crusade. A. J. Ayer Ed. Moral conduct receives a great deal Pemberton/Barrie and Rockliff, of attention in this book — as it relates $4.90. to war, nuclear weapons, inequitable IN THE 19th CENTURY, with the distribution of wealth, birth control, discoveiy of the theory of evolution the right to commit suicide for ra­ by Darwin and the general advance tional motives such as increasing senil­ of science, the creation of the world ity, and the responsibility of each in­ as it appears in the Bible was dis­ dividual for his own actions. credited in the eyes of many and a A. J. Ayer points out that if there movement developed called Rational­ is no logical connection between reli­ ism. gion and any code of morality, neither Present-day Humanists arc the “in­ can science supply us with our values. tellectual heirs" of such free thinkers. We can appeal to facts to support In 1968, British philosopher A. J. Ayer moral attitudes but such support is invited 20 members of the Advisory not justification. Council of the British Humanist As­ If so how do moral values arise? sociation to explain, with topics of Who is to say which values are right their own choosing, what Humanism or wrong? Are there any universal means to-day. moral values? How do we learn to Humanists adopt a scientific method make moral decisions? These are some in their approach to analysing the of the questions discussed. world around them. They affirm the principle that human beings should Morris Ginsberg (Professor of Socio­ not be expected to accept as dogma logy at the London School of Eco­ what is not known to be true, e.g. the nomics) opposes the view of the anthro­ existence of a deity. pologist Boas that there is no evolu­ tion in moral ideas (derived from Boas’ However, the anti-Godism which do­ studies of primitive societies) . Gins­ minated the outlook of earlier human­ berg believes moral codes differ but at ists has been replaced with a more the same time this does not rule out all-sided attitude, dealing more with that behind diversity there are gen­ 75