Liverpool University Press Who's Left in Israel?: Radical Political Alternatives for the Future of Israel

This book is the first to present a macroscopic view of the state of Israeli society in the early 21st century. At the heart of the book lies the crux of modern debate concerning the State of Israel: Is Israeli society building upon the values stipulated in its original mandate, the Declaration of Independence signed in 1948 - namely, "freedom, justice and peace"? To what extent could alternative Israeli policies advance rapprochement with the Palestinian people? How relevant is the concept of social justice today in the building of Israeli society? Who's Left in Israel? asks pertinent questions without shying away from difficult answers. Some of Israel's leading thinkers and experts from Israeli academia, journalism and public life investigate the pressing issues that face the modern State of Israel, including: Does Israel's changing geo-political situation require a new direction in current Israeli political thinking? How can the establishment alongside Israel of an independent and viable Palestinian state promote the real interests of both peoples? After over fifty years of neglect and discrimination, how can Palestinian Israelis achieve equality as citizens and self-expression as Palestinians? How is the Occupation viewed in Israel and in the international arena? What are the causes behind growing socio-economic splits in Israeli society? How can the present relations between religion and state, which many Jews regard as coercive, give way to ensuring freedom of conscience and religious pluralism? and What is the status of women in Israel? These questions provoke meaningful and resonant debate. The radical political perspectives and alternatives presented in this book challenge long-held ideas about how Israel should conduct itself as a political entity, drawing on both past and present political discussion in Israel. Ultimately, the contributors arrive at a highly original and controversial portrayal of Israeli society and present a blueprint for a radical new path for Israeli politics. Contributors include: Shulamit Aloni, civil rights activist and founder of Ratz and Meretz; Uri Avnery, journalist and head of the Peace Bloc; Prof. Nadim Rouhana, sociologist and director of an Arab research institute; Tamar Gozansky, former MK (Hadash) and champion of social equality; Amira Hass, author and journalist; Dr. Ilan Pappe, historian; Prof. Menahem Klein of Bar-Ilan university, an international expert on Jerusalem; Dr. As'ad Ghanem, co-director of Sikkuy, an association promoting equality for Arab citizens; Gila Sversky, a founder of Bat Shalom; Prof. Galit Hasan-Rokem, lecturer on Jewish literature and poetess. Review "There could not have been a more opportune time for the publication of Who's Left in Israel?. Dan Leon has done a good job of selecting the fifteen contributors and editing this unusual anthology. It appears at a time when even rightists in Israel are waking up to the political reality of what is called 'the two-state solution' - the State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel. This a political necessity for which most of the authors, and Dan Leon himself, have been struggling for decades." --Ari Rath, former editor, Jerusalem Post"Dan Leon's highly recommended book presents a mosaic of fifteen articles by specialists in their subject. on the theory and practice of the Israel left and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Who's Left in Israel?, in tackling complex questions on Israel's official policies, past and present, challenges much of the 'conventional wisdom' which has stymied so many initiatives for peace. Some of the writers believe that in our day one can perhaps see a gleam of light at the end of the tunnel. At any rate, this thought-provoking work is essential reading for all those who seek peace and justice in Israel/Palestine." --Latif Dori, Secretary of the Committee for Israeli-Palestinian Dialogue, founded by Israelis of Oriental origin; recipient of the K