Colonialism

• Published in: Israel studies (Bloomington, Ind.) Vol. 24; no. 2; pp. 33 - 44
• Main Author: Strawson, John
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bloomington Indiana University Press 22-06-2019
• Subjects: 19th century; Activism; Activists; Analysis; Boycotts; Colonialism; Communism; Crime; French literature; Ideology; Israel; Jewish people; Palestinian people; Palestinian Territories; Politics; Racism; Sanctions; Sartre, Jean-Paul (1905-1980); South Africa; Theme; United Kingdom; Zionism; South Africa; United Kingdom; Israel; Palestinian Territories
• ISSN: 1084-9513; 1527-201X
• DOI: 10.2979/israelstudies.24.2.03

The assertion that Israel has been created as a consequence of settler colonialism has become a major theme of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) activists. The movement argues that: The origin of Israel's contemporary regime over Palestinians is found in the racist ideology of late 19th century European colonialism. This ideology was shared by the dominant stream of the Zionist movement, which was founded in Europe and would later establish the state of Israel. This statement encapsulates the position of the BDS movement and some other allegedly pro-Palestinian activists. It is not used as an analysis of the origins of Israel or the trajectory of the Zionist movement, so much as an act of political denunciation with the intention of de-legitimizing the State of Israel. In a sense Israel is indicted with the crime of colonialism, "a racist ideology of late nineteenth-century European colonialism". Here, Strawson reflects on the manner in which colonialism has become a part of the discourse on Israel and Palestine.