The shift of some notable Jewish figures against Israel, as discussed last week, raises the question of how Israel’s Jewish supporters should react. Last week’s article argued that the anti-Zionist trend should be seen as part of a broader international movement towards identity politics and against the nation-state. But that still leaves open the question of the best way for pro-Israel Jews specifically to respond.
Of course support for Israel and opposition to anti-Semitism has implications far wider than the Jewish community. Everyone – Jewish or non-Jewish - who upholds democracy, freedom and modernity should support Israel against those who have pledged to destroy it. And everyone who is genuinely anti-racist should take a firm stand against anti-Semitism. But recent events recently have raised the question of whether there should be a specific Jewish element to the response.
One noteworthy development in America involved a namesake of mine – although fortunately we are not related. Jeremy Ben-Ami, the president of J Street, a liberal Zionist advocacy group, announced that he had reached the conclusion that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. The fact that the head of an organisation committed to supporting Israel should endorse this libel was particularly concerning.
The other recent event happened in London. It involved a speech given by rabbis from Progressive Judaism at the march for the hostages in London last Sunday. Although they did not quite cross over into anti-Zionist territory they riled a section of the audience. They also inadvertanly raised the question of where pro-Zionist Jews should stand on such mattters.
For me the most objectionable passage in the speech said: “Last night tens of thousands of Israeli Jews gathered on the streets to protest for the release of the hostages – they protested both against Hamas and against the policies and rhetoric of this Israeli Government. We must be brave and honest enough to do so too.”
One reason I found it objectionable was that a British Jewish organisation was taking sides in an internal Israeli dispute. Particularly as the march was specifically focused on the plight of the Israeli hostages in Gaza. No other speakers on the platform that I heard took a stance either for or against the current Israeli government. In addition, the progressive rabbis seemed to be upholding moral equivalence between a democratically elected government and a terrorist organisation openly pledged to destroying Israel.
As it happens the two rabbis, Charley Baginsky and Josh Levy, did not get to finish their speech. They were booed by a section of the audience and asked to leave the stage. They should have anticipated such a reaction under the circumstances. In effect they invited opposition from the substantial proportion of protestors who took a different view on developments in Israel.
To be fair to Baginsky and Levy their position is not, strictly speaking, anti-Zionist. Despite their harsh criticisms of Israel they explicitly support the country’s right to exist. This is of course not true of some groups on the fringes of the Jewish community who are vocally anti-Zionist.
In any case the affair stimulated a debate already underway in pro-Israel circles – among both Jews and non-Jews. That is in the role of the Jewish community in supporting Israel. Although it would be unrealistic to expect universal support it still raises the questions of how those who do back Israel should make their voice heard.
The reason it is unreasonable to expect the entire Jewish community to unite behind Israel is, ironically, because Jews are broadly like everyone else. Politically they can be on the left, right or centre. On the religiosity scale they can range from atheist to moderately religious to hard core.
From that perspective it should be clear that some Jews are always likely to oppose Israel. These include those ultra-religious Jews who believe that Israel is inherently evil because a Jewish state should be created by God rather than man. They also include those on the identitarian left who take the view that Israel is an island of white Jewish supremacy lording over the oppressed.
There are also some who are best classified as non-Zionist. In other words they have no particular interest or position on Israel.
In Britain there is good data on how different sections of the Jewish community see Israel. According to a report by the Institute for Jewish Policy Research published in February 2024: “The proportion of British Jews self-identifying as Zionist fell from 72% in 2013 to 63% in 2022. In 2022, a further 15% identified as non-Zionist, 8% as anti-Zionist, and 14% were unsure or gave another answer.” So a clear majority – 63% according to the latest available figures – self-identity as Zionist – while a relatively small proportion, 8%, identify as anti-Zionist.
It is true, within this overall population, that older generations tend to be more pro-Zionist than younger ones. Nevertheless, even among Jews in their twenties 57% identified as Zionist.
Why then should Jews who do support Israel take an active stance? There is a general answer which applies to everyone, including non-Jews, and a more specific one in relation to Jews.
It should be clear – at least to those outside “leftists” and the ultra-religious – that Israel does indeed stand for civilisation in a battle against barbarism. Israel is far from perfect but it nevertheless represents the forces of democracy and modernity. In contrast, Hamas, and Islamism as a political movement more generally, stand unequivocally against democracy, freedom and modernity. Islamism is also – completely openly for anyone who has eyes to see – imbued with anti-Semitism. Indeed a key reason they view Israel as epitomising evil is precisely because of the values that it represents. For example, they hate Israel because they see it as embodying the values of modernity.
Why then is there an onus specifically on Jews who support Israel to take an active role? Because the anti-Israel movement is consciously and deliberately moving anti-Zionist Jews to the fore in an effort to make their case. Finding Jews who will openly express a loathing of Israel makes anti-Zionism more plausible.
Anyone who follows the anti-Israel media will notice the high proportion of anti-Zionist Jewish – and particularly Israeli – guests. Just checkout popular outlets such as Novara Media, Owen Jones and Zeteo.
Or checkout the “Jewish blocs” which routinely join anti-Israel marches. Their presence is another way of trying to delegitimise the case for Israel.
Of course it is possible to deny the importance of such people. The anti-Israel pundits tend to come from a narrow section of Jewish society: including a disproportionate number of elite academics and journalists. In addition, some of the marchers in the Jewish blocs no doubt identify as Jews but have little or no Jewish connection.
Or consider the behaviour of the Jewish blocs on anti-Israel marches. I have been on several such demonstrations as an observer as well as attending counter-protests. Yet I have never seen anyone from the Jewish bloc challenge any of the frequent expressions of anti-Semitism on these marches. And these include crude old-fashioned depictions of Jews rather than solely animosity to Israel. Anti-Zionist Jews may claim to be opposed to anti-Semitism but when it comes down to it they are mostly in denial. Typically they concede the existence of anti-Semitism but would not recognise it except perhaps if it was wearing a Waffen-SS uniform or a Klansman’s outfit.
For Jews in particular they should be aware that their identity is being manipulated by those who are on the side of barbarism. That is why, if at all possible, they should take an open stance in defence of Israel.
PS - 15 August 2025. The original version of this article inadvertently left out the word "against" in the second sentence. It should read "against the nation state". That is, in my view, democracy and the nation state are closely linked.
PHOTO: "Jeremy Ben-Ami 01 (cropped)" by Joe Mabel is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.