ABSTRACT

This issue of the Israeli Affairs Journal focuses on “Joint Political Actions of Arabs and Jews in Israel”.
The issue deals with many controversial matters in the midst of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The issue incorporates eight articles, of which six are themed around the achievements, impacts and impediments of, and to, Arab–Jewish joint political actions in Israel. In addition, themed articles explore bi-national and international struggle, while the advantages and disadvantages of joint political actions are also discussed. Finally, an article is presented that explores Zochrot (memories) experience in the context of challenging the exclusive definition of the state of Israel as a “Jewish-only” state.

Two themed exclusive and in-depth interviews are featured in this issue. One with Prof. Tamar El-Or, an Israeli sociologist, and a leading researcher and specialist in the ultra-orthodox Jewish community’s affairs. She believes that “what is now present to Israel is the question of when will the occupation end, not whether it will last so long”. The second interview is with Mr. Benny Ziffer, an Israeli author and journalist, who expounds his views on the impact of culture on Israel’s reality and other issues.

Also in this issue new studies entitled “New Jerusalem” and “The Third Temple: an idea on the verge of implementation” are presented. In addition, a critical engagement to Chaim Ganz’s book “On the Justice of Zionism” is included in this issue.

The Zionist archive section of this issue features an exclusive translation of an article by an Israeli politician, journalist and philosopher, Ze'ev Jabotinsky. The article is entitled “A Personal Opinion”, through which he conveys his opposition to the establishment of the Hebrew University in 1920. He feared that the university would become a spiritual Jewish centre and not part of the active political Zionism on the ground. His vision was for the university to become a higher education institution producing the elites and professionals that would support the Zionist project.

Finally, this issue includes a collection of recent book reviews, as well as a library.

Contents

Issam Mikhwel, International struggle is the answer to the bloody national conflict! [Almost a century from the communist movement’s experience in the country]

Gadi Algazi, A bi-national struggle to establish a bi-national society

Michel Warschawski (Mikado), An Israeli-Palestinian partnership: Why? An Israeli-Palestinian partnership: How?
Naomi Chazan, Towards integrated Arab-Jewish relations in Israel

Eitan Bronstein, Zochrot’s experience in the context of challenging the state’s exclusive self-definition as a state for the Jews only

Bashir Bashir, Engagement with Zionist justice/injustice: New challenges to the Palestinian nationalism

Haim Ganz, A triple justification of Zionism [or On Proprietary Zionism - What is common between Naftali Bennett and Yehuda Shenahv?]

Yonatan Mendel, New Jerusalem

Wadee’ Awawdeh, The Third Temple... An idea on the threshold of realisation

1. Special Interview - Tamar El Or, university lecturer and researcher in the Haredi community, The question for Israel now is when will the occupation come to an end? (by Antoine Shulhut and Bilal Dhaher)

2. Special Interview - Benny Ziffer, literary figure, editor of the Culture and Literature supplement in Haaretz, Israelis must clash with the Palestinians’
tragedies so that our daily life routine fractures (by Al-Tayyeb Ghanyim)

Ze'ev Jabotinsky, A personal opinion - expressing his
opposition to the establishment of the Hebrew University

(Preface by Muhannad Mustafa)