Israel, Zionism, and Racism

I referenced a Ha'aretz article last week which grappled with the dilemma of Israel's Jewish and democratic identity. It seems like this question will have to be addressed at some serious level of engagement now that laws barring the sale of property to Arabs are being contemplated by members of Likud, with Sharon's stamp of approval (so far). In actuality, though, this is not a terribly new development, as any Arab living in Israel would probably tell you. It's really a question of whether segregation and disrimination are further etched into stone.

Virtually every pro-Israeli commentator cites Israel as being the lone democracy in the Mid East, implicitly justifying support for "our special friend". Rarely does anyone question the extent of Israel's democratic character and when questions are raised about the exclusionary practices at work in Zionist theory, a la Durban, a whole heap of anti-Semitic charges descend immediately to preclude discussion. Of course, the seething rage and vitriole towards Jews from some sectors of the Arab community is an equally preemptive barrier to discussion. Probably even more so.

I suppose that brings us to the question of whether Zionism is racism. In short, my answer has been no; Zionism has been an exercise in colonialism predicated on a degree of chauvanism that can manifest itself as a form of racism, but not necessarily.