Page 28 - Issue 20

Both the logic and experience of Jewish socialists
must lead them to conclude that the Palestinian
claim is justified. Both the Jews and the
Palestinians need their respective states, and it is
conceivable that not long after they exist side by
side they will begin to work together and proceed
ultimately to a flexible relationship between them –
the kind of local autonomy cum regional co-
operation mentioned earlier. (In any even the geo-
economic structure of Israel-Palestine will
necessitate close co-operation between them.)
Hopefully there are enough progressive socialist
forces among each of them who are willing to take
the lead, by example, in jointly implementing
socialist forms of organization e.g. in trades union
matters. At present it appears that only the
genuinely socialist elements among the Jews and
Palestinians are able to demonstrate that the Jews
are not simply one nation of militant-racists and
the Palestinians not simply one of terrorist-racists.
Reactionary forces on both sides and their
respective supporters are making every attempt to
undermine a coalition of progressive forces but
with determination that coalition can come about
and have significant influence.

Socialism and Zionism are not only not
incompatible – they are ideologies which
compliment each other. A proper synthesis of the
two can lead to justice and fulfillment for the Jew,
and can give momentum to socialism in both the
region and beyond.