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A Committed Zionist and a Lapsed Progressive
(Ha'aretz) Joanne Feinberg Goldstein - In many progressive circles, the only acceptable stance is to bash Israel and its citizens, regardless of whether those citizens are concerned for Palestinians. There is little recognition that Hamas and its allies play any role in the conflict and are able to end the war now. While progressive values are still my North Star, I no longer have a progressive community that shares my principles. I have become a "lapsed progressive." The current state of the progressive community has left me no choice but to withdraw from it. These days one cannot be a committed Jew and Zionist and be welcomed in the progressive community. I am no longer considered an ally, but rather an imperialist to be eradicated. This evaporated for me on Oct. 7 and the resulting actions of the progressive community. As has been well-documented, Hamas, a recognized terrorist organization committed in its charter to genocide of all Jews and the annihilation of Israel, rampaged through southern Israel, killing, raping and torturing Israeli and other nationals. Yes, I support Israel's right to respond and defend itself. I also understand that Israelis are traumatized by Hamas's savagery on Oct. 7 and the world's fleeting memory of it. I am appalled by progressive organizations, especially Jewish ones, who pressure Israel and the U.S. for a ceasefire, but make no demands of Hamas. The progressive community should be pushing Hamas to release the hostages and better the lives of Palestinians by ending the war. The progressive world is seemingly unwilling to hold Hamas accountable or put any onus on it to stop the death and destruction. The writer served as the Massachusetts Secretary of Labor.