Yossi Klein Halevi On Zionism (Re-Aired)

Zionism functions as both a 3,500-year-old faith expression and a 19th-century political project, creating a unique, often paradoxical, national identity. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict represents a clash between two legitimate, competing claims to the same land, where historical trauma—specifically the Holocaust and the displacement of populations—drives the actions of both sides. While a two-state solution remains a critical necessity for preserving Israel as a democratic, Jewish-majority state, its viability is increasingly threatened by settlement expansion, the collapse of the traditional Israeli left, and the failure of past peace negotiations. Despite these systemic challenges and the rise of a one-state reality, the future remains fluid, requiring a shift away from zero-sum narratives toward a new language of reconciliation that acknowledges the profound, lived history of both peoples.