We raise questions central to ongoing debates about Zionism, the history of Israel’s founding, and the rights of Palestinians. These questions delve into critical issues of justice, equality, and historical accountability. Here are the questions:
Do you believe it was justifiable to establish a state in Israel at the expense of the indigenous Palestinian population?
Do you believe Zionism provides equal rights and privileges to all groups living in Israel?
Do you think Zionism and its proponents recognize Palestinians as having equal rights to Israelis within the country?
The first truth is that our conflict is not ancient or mystical. It is not thousands of years old; it is a modern political struggle barely over a century old. For generations, Jews, Muslims and Christians lived side by side in Palestine. Coexistence is not a fantasy. It is our own history — a history erased by those who claim endless war is inevitable.
The second truth is that occupation warps the imagination. Young Palestinians today have never seen the hills before settlements carved them apart. They have never traveled 15 kilometers to Jerusalem without a checkpoint. Many have never met an Israeli who isn’t a soldier or settler. Israelis, meanwhile, rarely encounter Palestinians outside a framework of fear. This separation fuels a deadly illusion: that entire populations bear collective guilt for the actions of a few.
The third truth is that Zionism as a political project has shaped every part of Palestinian life: the expulsions of 1948, the occupation of 1967, the settlements and legal systems designed to fragment us and pressure us to leave. This critique is political — not religious. Like Shehadeh, I distinguish completely between Judaism and Zionism. I have Israeli Jewish friends who acknowledge Palestinian suffering and support our rights. True friendship requires nothing less than honesty about history.