Source: Gideon’s Substack
by Noah Millman
“The notion that the ancient Israelites were a kind of prototype for a modern nation is more a creative misreading than solid history — which is not really a knock, since most novel ideas start as creative misreadings of old ones, but which does suggest that plain old nationalism is all we’re talking about here, with the use of the word ‘Zionism’ being just a kind of rhetorical trapping. And the most obvious problem with advocating a nationalist revival is that the first round of nationalism was incredibly bloody, and continues to be so today; pay a visit to the Donbas if you doubt it. Contrary to the theory that the often violent birth of nations was a mere transition, nationalists have not generally been happy to tend their own gardens but often take a keen interest in those of their neighbors.” (03/17/26)
https://gideons.substack.com/p/what-is-a-zionism-for-the-palestinians