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Oct. 7 Revalidates the Relevance of the Zionist Idea: Jews Cannot Rely on the World's Goodwill in Times of Crisis

(Tablet) Shimon Refaeli - The attacks of Oct. 7 have thrown into stark relief the "normal" historical condition of the Jews throughout history. In this generation, too, like in every generation before, the Jewish people confront enemies intent on their annihilation. Since Oct. 7, antisemitism has resurged with terrifying intensity worldwide, shattering the illusion of "normalcy" between Jews and other nations. The Israeli public has come to realize that hostility toward Jews and toward the Jewish state is a deeply rooted force that openly shapes the political positions of many countries. These developments have led to a deep sense among Jews of betrayal by Western societies, the painful realization that what we're facing is antisemitism in contemporary guise, masquerading as opposition to Zionism and the State of Israel. It has become clear that no matter how we attempt to downplay our Jewish identity, "enlightened" nations continue to perceive us as "the other." The elite institutions of the West - academia, media, and international justice organizations - persist in applying double standards to the Jewish state. The events of Oct. 7 and the ensuing war have vividly illustrated and revalidated the relevance of the Zionist idea, that the Jewish condition cannot rely on the world's goodwill in times of crisis. We cannot expect democratic nations to stand with the only democratic state in the Middle East. Despite the Oct. 7 attack and the unleashing of antisemitism, Israel has given the Jewish people the ability to fight back. We are fighting, and we are winning. This is the essence of political Zionism. For 12 months, Israel has resolutely repelled those who seek its destruction. The hope that integrating into global culture or adopting a cosmopolitan worldview would lead to acceptance and support from the "enlightened world" has proved illusory. If our enemies declare that in their heart, mind, and plans they aspire to annihilate us, we must take their aspirations seriously, treat their words with the utmost gravity, believe them, and act accordingly. What the rest of the world does and wants can never be our yardstick. Otherwise, we'd all be dead. The writer is Policy Assistant to Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer.
2024-10-13 00:00:00
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