Page 16 - Issue 20

Self-Questioning

The other reason is that perhaps, deep down, the
Jews are not entirely convinced that their right to a
homeland is unquestionable. Israel is unique in
that, unlike other newly-independent states, she
was created from next-to-nothing. The newly-
independent states were formed from whole
societies which had existed for countless
generations in that very place and whose right to
exist was not even a topic for discussion.

But in Israel's case the entire society from which
the future state was to be created had to be built
from scratch; it certainly was not a natural state of
affairs which required no further explanation. For
Jews the implication is clear. Jews are there, they
have good reason to be there, and they are there
to stay - but this does not remove from them the
responsibility, the necessity even, of constantly re-
appraising that existence. This leads to a chronic
state of national angst, but on balance, the gains
are greater than the loss. In short then, what the
Jews are saying is this: 'Others have no right to
question Israel's existence, but we have an
obligation to do so. True, our independent
existence in our own homeland is self-justificatory,
but for our own sakes let us make something
worthwhile of it; if not, why did we embark on this
enterprise in the first place and why did we make
the sacrifices we did?'

What then is the purpose of it all? The definition of
Zionism can give us a clue. Zionism is the attempt