First question is what does legitimate mean? Legal definition: “Complying with the law or having official status defined by law” (e.g. a legitimate claim to the land), complying with recognized rules, standards, or traditions.
De-legitimize is to revoke the legal or legitimate status of; to diminish or destroy the legitimacy, prestige, or authority (illegitimate a government, a country, a state)
But, what is a legitimate state? Under international law any legitimate state must fulfill three basic requirements: territory (occupy some territory over which it exercises exclusive jurisdiction.), have a population and some form of government (there must be some degree of stability of organization and administration within that territory so that the state can carry out its international duties and obligations.). These conditions are necessary but not sufficient to constitute a state. The fourth requirement is independent sovereignty over the territory and population of the state. The State of Israel must fulfill all of those three requirements to be considered a legitimate state.
So, de-legitimate Israel as State consist of disqualifying its adherence to the principles stated before. The key questions are:
Territory Occupation: rights to do it. Population: are there a common language, traditions. goals?. Government institutions are obeyed by the inhabitants and provide stability and order? Is Israel a sovereign state?
About territory and population.
Certainly, the land of Israel (called Palestine after Roman Emperor Hadrian) is rich in culture, history and religions result of its geographical location as a bridge between Africa, Asia and Europe. From ancient Egypt to the fall of the Ottoman Empire in the twentieth century, this land has welcomed people from different regions and cultures that left their religious, cultural and genetic marks. However, the Jewish people are the only one who can demonstrate historically religious and cultural continuity that bind them to the region since biblical times to date (7). The Land of Israel has consistently shown a significant Jewish population that played a religious, social, cultural and economic role and became a center of gravity for Jewish communities in middle-east countries. Egypt, Babylonian (Iraq), Persian (Iran), Yemenite, Ethiopian and Far-east Jewish communities document their history, even before the destruction of the First Temple of Jerusalem. Jewish population in the Maghreb (North Africa) began before the destruction of the Second Temple and later joined Jews expelled by the Spanish religious inquisition. Sephardi Jews were also deployed in northern Europe (France, Netherlands, Germany and the Eastern Mediterranean (including Turkey, Greece and the Balkans) and then to the Americas. Sephardi Jewish presence expand to the east, the Caucasus, India, Afghanistan and China. Relationships, both religious and economic, of the populations among themselves and with residents in the Land of Israel are well documented.
Recent human genetic studies have shown closeness between all Jews, regardless of where they lived for the past 10 centuries or more. (1):
“Despite their long-term residence in different countries and isolation from one another, most Jewish populations were not significantly different from one another at the genetic level. The results support the hypothesis that the paternal gene pools of Jewish communities from Europe, North Africa and the Middle East descended from a common Middle Eastern ancestral population, and suggest that most Jewish communities have remained relatively isolated from neighboring non-Jewish communities during and after the Diaspora”.
Nevertheless, the concept of Jewish people is neither racial nor genetic but foremost based on religious tradition linked to locations and history of the land of Israel kept almost without variation. Dead Sea Scrolls compared to actual liturgy show it. Talmud continued Jewish history and traditions after Roman Exile and provided a solid basis homogenizing almost all Jewish communities’ character worldwide. Therefore, the important thing here is the historical tradition and religion continuity since biblical times today.
Under this perspective it is irrelevant the controversy about Jews got mixed with other people (Khazars, Berber, Arabs, so on) Same apply to a portion of Jewish population remaining in the land of Israel after Roman exile but converted to others religions (Muslim, Christians, etc) or join other cultures. Therefore, we can conclude that the Jewish people exist; it is not an invention (3)
So what causes this obstinate opposition and discredit to the State of Israel as a Jewish home? Obviously, a Christian Europe with a long tradition of religious and "racial" hatred against the Jewish people (deicide) and the downgrading of Middle Eastern Jews as inferior (non-Muslims) for not recognizing Muhammad as a prophet, have penetrated the psyche of millions of people who consider Jews people as devoid of humanity and hence of rights.
If only limited to the reasons mentioned before, everything would keep certain logic. Yet the harshest critics of the existence of Israel come from the Jewish people itself. This is the most important point to investigate. In fact, many important authors have analyzed from various perspectives.
Both contemporary Zionism and opposition to the creation of a Jewish State in Palestine originated from three streams in the Ashkenazi population in Central Europe even long before the founding of the state in 1948. One of them is the ultra-Orthodox Jews who believe that only the Messiah would support self-government (in this match with Catholics believing that Jews will return to the holy land after Jesus second coming). Another group of Ashkenazi secular socialists or Marxists contributes greatly to the establishment of collective farms (kibbutzim). In addition, they formed an important part of academic and governmental elite of the nascent nation who did not have in mind the creation of that state as conceived by the Zionists but hoped to be an advanced position to establish socialism in the region conjointly with Arab proletarian masses. Because that they behave not as defenders of working class rights (Jewish and Arabs) as is supposed to be for leftist or Marxist parties but almost exclusively as supporters of Arab, Palestine nationalism in contradiction to Marx view about nation concept. At last, Ashkenazi Zionists prevailed in its ideals and delineated the emergence of the state but as a continuation of Ashkenazi idiosyncrasy in the framework of European political ideology. Among them became visible different movements as Political Zionism, Cultural Zionism, Labor Zionism and Revisionist Zionism (3)
Nevertheless, they had in common a patronizing disdain for Eastern Jews (Mizrahim) and Hispanic Jews (Sephardi) whom they considered ignorant and backward. A review of how Ashkenazi valued the indigenous middle-eastern Jews is in the reference below (2). (Clearly, this picture began to change and there has been some degree of integration among the different Jews groups).
Middle Eastern Jews envisioned living in the State of Israel as a way to practice their religious beliefs freely without fear of reprisals from Muslims or Christians. The Jewish religion relate closely to localities and most of the festivities relate to events tied to the land of Israel unlike Christianity and Islam whose religious practices of its own (not borrowed from the Hebrew Bible) revolve around a central character (Jesus, Muhammad).
At this point it would be worth to mention that Mizrahi Jews considered themselves as part of Middle East culture that includes diverse religious and ethnics groups besides Arabs and hence not newcomers nor immigrants. Europe political and ideology concepts of nation was alien not only for oriental Jews but also for all other ethnic groups. Almost all Middle East countries and frontiers delimitation were established after WWI by victorious European powers after downfall of the Ottoman Empire and responded to their geopolitical and economics priorities and not to the interest of local communities (Jews, Arabs or any other).
From the above we can infer that the delegitimizing Israel mainly in Jewish academy derives from the internal struggles within the Ashkenazi communities. Lately, some Sephardi and Mizrahi intellectuals denounce Zionism and some are even pro-Palestinian activist. Nevertheless, it seems that they assume this position in reaction to humiliations and contempt suffered by Mizrahis during the first decades of Israel's existence rather than a real desire to destruct it. This Exclusion and marginalization feeling provoked that some oriental Jews intellectuals identify themselves with Israeli-Arab and Palestinian population goals (4)
A similar phenomenon is observed in the Ashkenazi left but because different grounds related to ideological stances mentioned before, i.e., anti-Zionism (“there is not such a thing as Jewish people”), post-Zionism (“Israel not longer a Jewish country”); post-Judaism (negation of Jewish religion significance). Zionist Ashkenazi left judged Arabs as real indigenous people worth enough to deal with instead of considering Mizrahim as the natural bridge between them (European-ground Jews) and peoples of the region. Considering themselves as a distinct class (first class) of Jew respect Mizrahis and Israel as their exclusive creation and habitat underlie this attitude
Besides, Mizrahis regret that Israel Ashkenazy establishment make them ashamed of their millenarian Middle Eastern culture (do not confuse it with “Arab” culture because Mizrahim preceded in thousand years the Arab invasion) and start processes of self-denying and devastation of traditions that are supposed to resemble authentically those practiced before Second Temple destruction. In any case, the list of academics and journalists detractors of the Jews right in the Land of Israel show a minimum percentage of Mizrahim, they even are unpopular in their communities.
De-legitimize Israel: is it a PR struggle?
Israel current demography shows a large percentage of Oriental Jews (6) it means that Israel images as European nation must change and the entire world ought to be conscientious of that. Besides, Israeli Arabs are about twenty percent of Israel population. In other words, it is important to raise an image that show a multiethnic country rooted in the Middle East and not in central-Europe ghettos.
(Portraying Jews as 'White Europeans' Feeds Anti-Israel Agenda by LOOLWA KHAZZOOM http://www.sullivan-county.com/x/aj2a.htm)
Israeli-Jewish identity must rely on historical continuity of the Jewish people in this region of the Middle East. Current "narrative" implies the Romans took out Jews after the fall of Second temple then exiled to central Europe and returned to Israel in the nineteenth century through the efforts of the Europeans (many people perceived it so). (3)
This vision fractures the real history of the Jewish people and removes the vital contribution of Oriental and Sephardi Jews who remained in the region. Middle Eastern Jews reinforce Israel's right to exist as a Jewish country (7) In this regard; I read in an Israeli newspaper some years ago about a Galilee Arab teacher surprised to learn that the Jewish people have lived and live in that region before Arabs because she believed Jews came from Germany in the twentieth century.
Image of Israel as a Europe-derived country impresses the idea of a forced colonial regime (as in South Africa) and give to Arabs the aureole of the primitive “noble savage” oppressed by conquerors (resembling Americans Indians slaved by Europeans). Not everybody remember almost one million Mizrahi Jews were expelled by Muslim in the Middle East (half of nowadays Israel population)
“ In just 50 years, almost a million Jews, whose communities stretch back up to 3,000 years, have been 'ethnically cleansed' from Arab countries. These refugees outnumber the Palestinian refugees two to one, but their narrative has all but been ignored. Unlike Palestinian refugees, they fled not war, but systematic persecution. Seen in this light, Israel, which absorbed most of these Jewish refugees, is the legitimate expression of the self-determination of an oppressed indigenous, Middle Eastern people” Point of no return
Information and links about the Middle East's forgotten Jewish refugees http://jewishrefugees.blogspot.com/
Zionism Updated.
Ideological posture differences between Ashkenazim and Mizrahi-Sephardim Jews must be working out to preserve and strength Israel. A critical factor to consider is about Jews history teaching. Time line of Jewish history should show a continuous line beginning in biblical times followed by golden age in Middle East and Spain (Talmud, Cabala, Sephardi philosophy) history and development of contemporary Mizrahi Jewish communities and afterward the expansion of Jewish community to Central Europe developing the contemporary Ashkenazy “ethnicity”. Therefore, Ashkenazy Jews religious tradition continues Mizrahi and Sephardi Jews Talmud, Cabbala and Jewish philosophy originated in Spain and the Mediterranean.
Israel education system since the beginning of the State so far has failed to build an Israeli-Jewish identity. The Ashkenazi leading elite since 1948 imposes as basic truths that Ben-Gurion and his collaborators were the Founding Fathers of the Jewish nation (overlapping Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses). They consider Ashkenazim migrations as the starting point of the modern History of Israel, (omitting through that the oriental Jews and Sephardim have always lived here). Although the European Zionism materialized in the xx century the dreamed Jewish comeback to the ancient homeland, this approach breaks the historicity of the Jewish nation since it excludes non-Ashkenazim as actors of the first order in the renaissance of the state.
Sephardim predominated in Eretz Israel for about six hundred years, since 1268 (when Nahmanides restored the existence of a Jewish community in Jerusalem), until 1860, when the Ashkenazim kolelim (special type of Talmud academies (orthodox yeshivas) - beginning for the kolel of Holland and Germany - gained recognition of facto and even of jure as independent communities out of the authority sphere of the of the Sephardi community Council.
It is possible to affirm that, with the exception of one generation and a half after the settle of the " 300 rabbis of France and England " arrived in 1210-11 to the city of Acco in order to help to reconstruct the Jewish life after the ravages caused by the crossed ones, Eretz Israel was always under the mastery of the rabbinical sefardí current. It is possible to record that Eretz Israel was Sephardi from the point of view of the rabbinical legislation (Halacha).
Zionist thought and action arose in Sephardi thinkers even before this movement appeared in the Eastern and Western Europe. Namely, Josef Levi, of Adrianopol, Turkey; the rabbi Yehuda Bibas, of Gibraltar; Marko Baruch, of Sofia and the rabbi Yehuda Alkalai (1798-1879), of Sarajevo. Alkalai himself realized the ideal of the comeback to Zion. He came to Jerusalem where he lived his last years of life. Almost the whole thought of Herzl is in the writings of Alcalai, published circa fifty years before the Herzl’ “Jewish State” Furthermore, Alkali prepared a detailed plan for a wide Jewish establishment in Eretz Israel. He dedicated part of his work to the vital importance for the use of the Hebrew language and demanded immediate aliya (migration)to Israel.
The old Jewish community in Eretz Israel until the middle of the XIX century was mostly of Sephardi origin and it was settled down in Jerusalem, Safed, Tiberias Hebron and other places.
This community along with subsequent Jewish migratory waves happened during four hundred years between the expulsion of the Jews of Spain (1492) until the ends of the XIX century, it created the bases of the economy and the commerce of the Jewish renascent community in Israel. In many senses, new generation and traditional Sephardi world were the bridge between the Old Community, mostly orthodox and conservative, with the posteriors migratory waves. The same love to Zion was fluttering also in the Persian, Iraqi Jew, or of Morocco that more than 150 years ago it came to the Earth of Israel. During the second half of the century XIX, we will be witnesses of a new expression of the renaissance: the Zionist thought with a new spirit, with a definite political action, like part of a modern conception of the world.
Education must vindicate middle east Jewish identity, sense of belonging, possession of every inch of territory related to the history and religion (of course, it do not preclude rights of non-Jewish).
An important step contributing to project to the world the right image of Israel should be the promotion of the diversity of the folklore and customs of all "ethnic" groups (Mizrahim, Sephardim, Ethiopians, even Palestinian-Arabs) and not focus exclusively on the Ashkenazi tradition. It is a context to promote a “post-Zionist vision” of the State of Israel transforming an “Ashkenazy-Zionism” into “all-Jews inclusive Zionism”
Yet leftist Jewish elite endures the "illusion" of Europe as a mother-home, Marxist ideal outdated in time and place that obscure current reality of the world, cultural and moral relativism they preach and ignorance of Arab-Islamic culture and language. All of that block the understanding between Jews and Arabs. They feed on Arabs and Palestinians the idea that Jews have no real right to a Jewish state and that is a matter of time to achieve the destruction of Israel. They do not realize that possibilities for understanding depend on Israel conviction that there is no turning back.
Starting point to establish a long-lasting peace
Coexistence relies on recognition of the rights of others. It is a principle to apply to resolve conflicts among Jews and Jews and Arabs in Israel. But, it must be so not only in Israel but too in neighboring Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia (and others countries) where you must be a Muslim as a precondition to be a full-right citizen. Likewise, they refer to themselves as Arab Islamic countries under Islamic Shari’a law and a constituent of the Arab World. (8). So, Why Israel could not be a Jewish country compromised with the Jewish world? If not, could Middle East countries become secular and open to all faith and cultures likewise?
References
(1) -Population of Ottoman and Mandate Palestine Statistical and Demographic Considerations. The Population of Palestine Prior to 1948 http://www.mideastweb.org/palpop.htm
- Israeli-Palestinian Conflict ProCon.org
http://israelipalestinian.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000636
(2) -Jewish Genetics: Abstracts and Summaries http://www.khazaria.com/genetics/abstracts-jews.html
-M.F. Hammer, Proc. Nat'l Academy of Science, 9 June 2000 (op. cit in: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yemenite_Jews#cite_ref-32)
(3) – ORIGINS OF ZIONISM http://countrystudies.us/israel/7.htm
- "A Land without a People for a People without a Land" by Diana Muir Middle East Quarterly
Spring 2008, pp. 55-62 http://www.meforum.org/1877/a-land-without-a-people-for-a-people-without
- Judaism, Civil Religion, and the New Zionism http://countrystudies.us/israel/44.htm
- "Post-Zionism and the Sephardic Question" of Meyrav Wurmser Middle East Quarterly Spring 2005, http://www.meforum.org/707/post-zionism-and-the-sephardi-question
- The Jewish State: The Struggle for Israel's Soul by Yoram Hazony Reviewed by Meyrav Wurmser
Middle East Quarterly June 2000 http://www.meforum.org/64/the-jewish-state-the-struggle-for-israels-soul
- Why Did Israel's Left to Lose? Meyrav Wurmser http://article.nationalreview.com/267775/why-did-israels-left-lose/meyrav-wurmser
- Zionism in Crisis Meyrav Wurmser Middle East Quarterly Winter 2006, pp. 39-47 http://www.meforum.org/875/zionism-in-crisis
- Rewriting Israel's History by Efraim Karsh Middle East Quarterly June 1996
http://www.meforum.org/302/rewriting-israels-history
(4) - The Invention of the Jewish People Review by Simon Schama Published: November 13 2009 23:34 | Last updated: November 13 2009 23:34http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/b74fdfd2-cfe1-11de-a36d-00144feabdc0.html)
- Emet m'Tsiyon British Press Censors Historical Truth, Promotes Lies Wednesday, December 23, 2009 http://ziontruth.blogspot.com/2009/12/british-press-censors-historical-truth.html
(5) - The suffering of Israel's Mizrahis Rachel Shabi http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/apr/15/israel-mizrahis-equality-conflict
- The myth of the Mizrahim Lyn Julius http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/apr/03/israel-arab-jewish-mizrahi
(6) -Jews of the Middle East by Loolwa Khazoom http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/mejews.html
(7) -Oriental Zionism of Arab-born Jews, One thousand years before Theodore Herzl http://www.eretzyisroel.org/~peters/oriental.html
- Continuous Jewish Presence in the "Holy Land" http://www.eretzyisroel.org/~peters/presence.html
(8) - The Constitution of The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan January 1, 1952 http://www.kinghussein.gov.jo/constitution_jo.html
- Syria Constitution Adopted on: 13 March 1973 ICL Document Status: 13 March 1973 http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/sy00000_.html
- Lebanon - Constitution Adopted on: 23 May 1926. ICL Document Status: 21 Sep 1990.http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/le00000_.html
- Constitution of Palestine (2003) This is the Constitution of Palestine passed in 2003. http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Palestine_%282003%29
- The Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) 18 August 1988http://www.mideastweb.org/hamas.htm
- The Fatah Constitution http://middleeastfacts.com/middle-east/the-fatah-constitution.php
- Egypt Constitution http://www.egypt.gov.eg/english/laws/Constitution/chp_one/part_one.aspx
