Israel Is Antiracist, Anti-Colonialist, Anti-Fascist (and Was from the Start)

Key Findings:

The assertion "Who controls the present controls the past. Who controls the past controls the future" from George Orwell's 1984 holds relevance not only in literature, but also in the academic study of history, particularly concerning the founding of Israel in 1948. Ideologically driven narratives in academia have attempted to shape perceptions of Israel's establishment as a product of neocolonialist American imperialism, aiming to influence future understandings of the nation. However, a closer examination reveals a different truth.

Contrary to prevailing narratives, the formation of Israel was primarily supported by the anti-fascist, antiracist, anti-colonialist, and anti-imperialist Left, including the Soviet Union. The American and British foreign-policy establishments, driven by concerns over access to Arab oil and containment of Soviet expansionism, were largely opposed to Israel's creation. Figures like Secretary of State George Marshall and George Kennan viewed a Jewish state as a threat to Western interests in the Middle East.

Truman's support for Israel, though significant, was an exception within his administration. Marshall's State Department advocated for alternatives to the UN Partition Plan that would prevent the establishment of a Jewish state. Despite this opposition, Israel's founders, notably David Ben-Gurion, navigated international politics to secure support, including from unexpected allies like the Soviet Union.

The brief convergence of Soviet and Western sympathies for Israel in the late 1940s was skillfully exploited by Ben-Gurion to establish the state. However, this support soon waned as geopolitical dynamics shifted, particularly with Stalin's reversal and vilification of Zionism. Subsequent narratives, influenced by Soviet propaganda, distorted the historical record, attributing Israel's creation to American imperialism.

In reality, Israel's establishment was not a colonialist endeavor but rather a manifestation of liberal and leftist opposition to colonialism, racism, and antisemitism. Despite its imperfections, Israel's origins were rooted in moral and military courage, orchestrated by astute political leaders like Ben-Gurion. Disentangling historical fact from ideological interpretation is crucial in understanding the complex geopolitical forces that shaped Israel's founding.