Is Trump’s Declaration for Enduring Peace Contrary to Zionism?
Alongside the twenty-point ceasefire plan for Gaza, which was agreed to by Israel and Hamas and a host of Middle East and European parties, on October 13 the White House released a less publicized document, “The Trump Declaration for Enduring Peace and Prosperity.” In addition to the president, the leaders of Egypt, Qatar and Turkey joined in this commitment to “a future of enduring peace.”
There is much to be admired in this declaration, including an expressed “determination to dismantle extremism and radicalization in all its forms.” It references the goal of “tolerance, dignity, and equal opportunity for every person, ensuring this region [Middle East] is a place where all can pursue their aspirations in peace, security, and economic prosperity, regardless of race, faith or ethnicity.” It correctly observes that “lasting peace will be one in which both Palestinians and Israelis can prosper with their fundamental human rights protected, their security guaranteed, and their dignity upheld.”
Yet, I worry that the declaration, perhaps inadvertently, could undermine a core endeavor of the Zionist project, namely, recognition of the Jewish people’s legitimate right to national self-determination and statehood in our ancient homeland. How so? The declaration states: “We recognize the deep historical and spiritual significance of this region to the faith communities whose roots are intertwined with the land of the region — Christianity, Islam, and Judaism among them.”
Zionism’s detractors long have sought to delegitimize Israel arguing that Judaism is exclusively a religion, like Christianity and Islam, and, therefore, cannot appropriately form the basis of a nation state. In fact, Jewish identity is made up of many components. Jewish atheists, who are connected to their Jewish identity through culture and ethnicity, are no less Jewish than the most religious members of the community. “Israeli” is a citizenship category. The state of Israel is composed of many national groups with shared Israeli citizenship, including Jews, Palestinian Arabs, Druze, Circassians and others. Even though Israel is defined as the nation state of the Jewish people, it is committed by its Declaration of Independence to equality for all its citizens, however unevenly that commitment has been implemented over the years.
Jews are a people, like other national peoples – Italians, Poles, Swedes, Russians, etc. This is a concept well understood in the European context. But since most Americans tend to see Jews only in religious terms — including apparently President Trump in this declaration — the idea of a Jewish nation state may seem alien.
I have long believed that genuine peace between Jews and Palestinians living between the Jordan River and Mediterranean Sea will only be achieved when the two peoples – Jews (not Israelis) and Palestinians recognize they both have legitimate claims to national sovereignty on portions of that geography.
Yes, I know, that Egypt, Jordan and the Gulf states were not expected to recognize Jewish sovereignty as necessary for their peace treaties with Israel. But the Palestinians are different. They regard the River to the Sea as integral to their national project. So, their acceptance of Jewish nationalism is more necessary. Recognition by Israel of the legitimate right of the Palestinian people to national sovereignty over part of that area is no less critical. This mutual recognition is the foundation on which an “enduring peace” has the potential to be built. It could at least begin to moderate the deep mistrust the two peoples have for each other.
